
Class 
Book 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, f 



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Flowers AND Fruits 



THE WILDERNESS; 



THIRTY-SIX YEARS IN TEXAS AND TWO 
WINTERS IN HONDURAS. 



Z. N. MOEEELL, 

AN OLD TEXAN. 



" The desert shall rejoice, and hlossom as the rose." — Isaiah. 
" What thou seest, write in a book." — Rev. 



BOSTON: 



59 WASHINGTON STREET. 

BRYAN, TEXAS : SUNDAY-SCHOOL AND COLPORTAGE BOARD. 
NEW TOEK: SHELDON AND COMPANY. 

18 72. 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in tlie year 1872, by 

Z. N. MORRELL, 
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



Rock\vell & Churchill, Printers and Stereotypers, 
122 Washington Street, Boston. 



TO 



H|l. 1» 1. Bayltxt^ and 3|0$ea gra^^^att, 

.Vr EARLY ASSOCIATES AND CO-WORKERS, IN VIEW OF THEIR VALUABLB 
SERVICES TO SOCIETY AND THE CAUSE OF RELIGION 

AND AS A TESTIMONY OF MY CONTINUED CHRISTIAN CONFIDENCE 
AND AFFECTION, 

E\)is f^umiilc Uolume 

IS 

DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. 



PREFACE. 

HAVE written this book because I thought I ought 

to write it. Some of the facts contained in it 

were known only to me. Many that were known 

G only to me, and a few of my early associates in 

Texas, who are still living, would be lost when we are 

dead, and our time is very short. 

For the past fifteen years I have often been urged 
to write by those who were anxious to have some 
of the facts and incidents connected with the early 
society and the rise of religion in Texas preserved. 
Last October I was requested to write by the Baptist 
State Convention of Texas . 

These friends and brethren did not ask me to write 
a book ; but the work has grown upon me, as I toiled 
on, until it has assumed this form. 

I have written under great personal affliction and 
physical suffering. Had I been able to go on 
with ministerial duties, the work would never have 



VI PREFACE. 

appeared. Hence I have written when I could do 
nothing els-e. 

The work is written in a narrative style, because I 
could write in no other way. My memory served me 
better in this train. 

My personal history in Texas, by following this 
plan, is interwoven with the state of society and the 
rise and progress of civilization and religion. If any 
imagine that I have intentionally made myself the hero 
of the book, through a spirit of selfishness and pride, 
let them remember that I am in my seventieth year, 
and conscious of the fact that "the silver cord" and 
"the golden bowl" will very soon be broken. My 
personal history is merely incidental, the remembrance 
of it serving to bring up the train of facts and inci- 
dents that I Avished to record. 

Some of the facts and anecdotes may appear silly 
and ludicrous ; but the thoughtful reader will see that 
they are all illustrative of the state of things sur- 
rounding at .the time. 

If a humorous spirit is manifest, sometimes induc- 
ing a smile, be it remembered, that the sentiment ex- 
pressed by Mr. Spurgeon, the great London preacher, 
in his preface to "John Ploughman," is in perfect 



PREFACE. VII 

accordance with my view, " that there is no particular 
virtue in being seriously unreadable." 

My indebtedness is hereby acknowledged to Elder 
J. W. D. Creath, who has kindly allowed me the use 
of a large amount of material, which he has been 
years collecting, relative to the rise and progress of 
religion in Texas. 

I am under special obligation to Elder M. Y. 
Smith, for encouragement and assistance in many 
ways. Most of this work has been done under his 
roof. The offices of kindness shown me by this 
family have been many. He has aided me much in 
collecting statistics, arranging and revising. Without 
the assistance of brethren Creath and Smith I could 
not have succeeded. 

Some may suppose that more statistics relative to 
the state of the country, men, and organizations, 
ought to have been given. The limits of the book 
would not admit of it. My purpose has simply been 
to lay the foundation for the historian. If I have suc- 
ceeded in this, I have accomplished my most sanguine 
expectations. 

Among some of the published documents in my 
possession are positive contradictions. In such cases 



VIII PREFACE. 

I have adopted that which I believed to be correct. 
If important mistakes occur in the book, and proper 
testimony is privately given me, I will have correc- 
tions made in future editions. 

I have not been able to get a single complete file 
of minutes. 

If the reader of this humble volume shall have 
gained any useful information, or shall have been im- 
pressed with the power of the Christian religion in 
developing good society, and in furnishing rest and 
peace at the end of life,_I shall be more than grati- 
fied. 

Trusting in God, I send the little message forth, and 
ask a patient and thorough examination. 

Z. N. MORRELL. 
Brenham, Texas, July 9, 1872. 



CONTENTS, 



CHAPTER I. 

A TROUBLED PREACHER — IN 1835. 

PAGE 

Reasons for Coming to Texas — Texas in 1834 — Removal to 
Mississippi — Sam. Houston and the Cherokee Indians — 
The Secret — Meet Tennesseans — New Association — Elder 
Frank Baker — The Contest — Heretics and Associational 
Authority — Anti-Missionaries — Start for Texas — 1835 . 19 

CHAPTEE II. 

THE DECISION— l^^Q. 

A still small Voice — Reach Texas — An Anecdote — The Refu- 
gee — First Night in Texas — Battle at San Antonio — Nacog- 
doches — Aspirants — Elder Daniel Parker — Texas Grievan- 
ces — Our Tom — Grades of Society — The Soldiers — Out- 
generalled — The First Prairie — " Green from the States " — 
David Crockett — Jesse "Webb — Sleepless Night — Brazos — 
Buffalo Chase — Forty Tennesseans — First Sermon in Texas 
— Deacon Cartmell — Determine to Move the Family — 1836. 29 

CHAPTEE III. 

THE WILDERNESS SHALL BLOSSOM AS THE ROSE 

— 1836. 

Homeward Bound — Change in the Climate — Nacogdoches — 
The Election on Sunday — A Sermon — Wm. Whitaker — 
Safe Return — 1836 46 



X ^ CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER IV. 

WAR—imQ, 

PAGE 

Preparations to Move — Declaration of Texas Independence — 
Alamo — Battle of San Jacinto — Meet Sam. Houston — 
Surrounded by Indians at Night — Harvey Killed — Friends in 
Time of Need — Supper with Soldiers — First Texas News- 
paper — Population in 1836 — Indian Smokes — No Ammuni- 
tion — Trip in Search of Powder and Lead — Fresh Courage — 
1836 .49 



CHAPTER Y. 

AN EMEUaENCY—l^Zl, 

Snow — An Indian Fight — Lieut. Errath — Farming under a 
Guard of Soldiers — Ammunition and Supplies Out — State 
of Finances — Trip to Houston — Horses Stolen — Navasota 
River — Houston in 1837 — First Sermon in the City— 1837 59 



CHAPTER VI. 

LIGHT AHEAD —1837. 

A Sad Incident— Harvey's Daughter Found— Two Men Killed— 
Meeting broken up by the Indians — The Lonely Night Ride — 
Trip to New Orleans — The Currency — Fort Captured — 
Coreyell Killed — Losses — Prayer Meeting at "Washington 
— Baptists in 1837 — Vigilance Committee — An Impostor 
~- Soldiers Furloughed — Singing — John Barleycorn — First 
Church Organized — Catholic Priests — Marriage Contracts — 
Evading Mexican Law — The Happy Change — 1837 . . 68 



CONTENTS, XI 

CHAPTER YII. 

FIRST FRUITS IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS — 18S8. 

PAGB 

Sam. Houston's Ingenuity — His Letter to Santa Anna — The 
Devil's Prayer Meeting — Protracted Meeting at Washington 

— The Disturbers — The Conflict — The Victory — Gamblers 
and the Widow — Captain Cook — Mrs. Taylor Killed — Peter 

J. Willis — Sick Family — First Conversion — 1838 . -, 79 

CHAPTER VIII. 

THE WEST— 18S8. 

Land OflSce Opened — Sam. Houston's Protest — Land Specula- 
tors — The West — An Expedition — Goliad — A Sermon — 
Antelopes — A Chase — Indians and Eattlesnakes — San 
Patricio — Corpus Christi — The Surveyors — Matthew Bur- 
nett — Flight from the Indians — Personal Danger — Lying 

— A Reckless Reconnoitre — An Indian Boy — Decided not 
to Kill him — Surveyors Captured — The Treaty — The Big 
Chief— Every Spirit begets its Like — 1838 . ... 92 

CHAPTER IX. 

GREA T ENCO URA GEMENT — 1839. 

Dark Clouds — Lagrange — Wm. Scallorn — Preaching — R. 
E. B. Baylor — Minute Men — A Lad Captured — Plum Grove 

— First Baptism — The Revival — 1839 ... 107 

CHAPTER X. 

WHAT SHALL WE Z> Of — 1839. 
Cherokee Indians — General Rusk — Hard Times — The Barrel 
of Flour — A Trip to San Antonio — A Dead Body Found — 
Night Ride — Gonzales — Guadalupe — The Shepherd Dogs — 
The City — Catholicism — Camanches — Cordova — Ed. Bur- 
leson — The Fight — Indians Attempt to Steal Horses — An 



XII CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



Owl — Education — A Trip to Mississippi — Yellow Eever — 
Fraud — Land-trade — 1839 113 

CHAPTEE XI. 

WAR — 1839. 

Endians — John H. Moore — Indian Cliiefs at San Antonio — 
An Invasion ^- Burning of Linnville — The Stragglers — A 
Man Killed — Another Wounded — East Oxen — Captain Dick 
Chisholm — Ed. Burleson — The Courier — Eight at Plum 
Creek — Chief Killed — The Retreat — Mrs. Watts — 1839 . 123 

CHAPTEE XII. 

TffU FIE ST ASSOCIATION— lUO. 

Early Organization — Union Association — Education Society — 
Elder Tryon — Elder Huckins — A Noble Confession — Elder 
Baylor — Sad Letters — Missionaries — The Name Union — 
Elder Cox— The Trial — Revival at Washington — 1840 and 
1841 . 132 

CHAPTEE XIII. 

THE DECISION UNDER DARK CLOUDS— 184:2. 

Home — Preaching at Gonzales — Alone in the West — The 
Methodist Circuit -Rider — Mending Old Shoes — An Exciting 
Incident — Doctor Witter Killed — The Sweetest Music — 
Letter from Wm. Scallorn — A Lonely Night Ride — The 
Reconciliation — Another Letter — Texas for Life — 1842 . 150 

CHAPTEE XIY. 

MEXICAN INVASION— 18i2. 

in Exciting Canvass — Sam. Houston Elected — His Policy — 
Church at Gonzales — Baptism Interfered With — Mexican 
Invasion — Repairing Wagons on Sunday — The Retreat — 



COXTEXTS. XIII 

PAGE 

School-teaching — Elder Ellis — Elder Byars — Mexican 
Army in San Antonio — The Court Captured — 1842 . . 157 

CHAPTER XY. 

WAR — 1842. 

San Antonio Captured — Col. Caldwell — March from Gonzales 

— Meet Jack Hays — Our Spies — Meeting — A Speech — 

— Hays made Captain — Henry E. McCuUoch — A Mexican 
Captured — General Woll's Strength — Attack Brought On — 
The Eace — Our Position — The Speeches — The Eight — 
Captain Dawson — The Retreat — A Horrid Scene — Orders 
Disobeyed — Judge Hemphill — Prisoners in Chains — Battle 
at Hondu — Luckey Wounded — Hays' Company Increased 
to a Hundred Men — The Charge — Gibson Wounded — 
Ben McCulloch — General Mayfield — A Fearful Ordeal — A • 
Shameful Retreat— 1842 163 

CHAPTER XVI. 

AFFLICTION— 1843. 

Union As so elation — Earquahar — Baptists Abused — Elder Hosea 
Garrett — Eamily Affliction — All these Things against Me 
--Death— 1843 181 

CHAPTER XYII. 

DISSENSIONS AND TROUBLE IN EASTERN TEXAS 

— 1843. 

Eastern Texas — Sabine Association — Elder Isaac Reed — 
Neutral Ground — Counterfeiters — Scheme Exposed — Mod- 
erators and Regulators — Union Church — Elder Asa Wright 

— Elder Herrin — Border Church — Eirst Baptism in the East 

— Predestinarian Association — Elder Durham — Eree Will 
Baptists — Eanaticism — Much Dissension — 1843 . . 185 



XIV CONTENTS, 



CHAPTER XYIII. 

ORGANIZATION IN MIDDLE TEXAS— lUi. 

PAGE 

Organization in Middle Texas — Divine Guidance — Return 
of a Son — H. C. Mclntyre — Elder Whipple — Baptism 
by Elder Baylor — Montgomery — Church at Galveston — 
Church at Houston — Doctor Marsh — Huntsville — Disor- 
ganizers — Elder Green — Disturbers — An Anecdote — Vic- 
tory Complete — Church Organized — Elder Stovall — Cliurcli 
at Anderson — Post Oak Grove — Eerriage — Overcoat 
Pawned — Providence Church — 1844 195 



CHAPTEE XIX. 

ANNEXATION AND EDUCATION— lU^. 

Sam. Houston's Valedictory — James K. Polk — John Tyler 
— Education — Baylor University Chartered — Education 
Society — The Presidents — Ministerial Education — Elder 
Stribling — Interesting Incidents — J. W. Barnes — Elder D. 
B. Morrill — The Old Institution— 1845 . . . .202 



CHAPTER XX. 

PIONEER PREACHING — ISiQ. 

The Change — A Missionary — Inquiry after Baptists — Judge 
Baylor — Judge Hemphill — Deacon Pruitt — Elder J. G. 
Thomas — High Waters — Jerry — In Camp — Sanders — No 
Meat and Bread — Turkey Hunt — Corsicana — Elder Byars 
— Ship Load of Preachers — Elder Hill — 1846 . . .227 



CONTENTS. XV 

CHAPTEE XXI. 

THE RAGE TRACK AT SPRINGFIELD ~IUQ. 

PAGB 

Danger among Cut-throats — Springfield — The Grog-shop — 
The Eace Track — The Baptism — The Mental Struggle — 
Season of Prayer — Sermon to Horse-racers — The Result 
— A Deliberate Conviction — 1846 . . . . " . 241 

CHAPTEE XXII. 

TWO ASSOCIATIONS — 1U7. 

Cheering News — Letters Granted — Colorado Association — 
Elder Ellis — T. J. Pilgrim — Elder Taliaferro — Elder 
Chandler — Elder Kimball — Triumphs of the Gospel — The 
East — Herrin and Reed — Eastern Missionary Association — 
Reasons for Organizing — Sabine Association — Border, Eight- 
mile and Macedonia Churches — Elder Lewis — Elder Jesse 
Witt — Church at Marshall — Soda Lake Association — Elder 
Perry — Missions — Elder Dodson — Increase and Decrease 
— 1847 255 



CHAPTEE XXIII. 

TWO ORDEALS: ONE SPIRITUAL, AND ONE CARNAL 

— 1847. 

Order and Obedience to Law — Alien Immersion — Trouble — 
The Victory of Truth — Great Personal Danger — Pour 
Bears lulled — Failing Health — Resignation as Missionary 
— 1847 269 



XVI CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XXIY. 

TWO ASSOCIATIONS —184:8, 

PAGB 

Progress — Trinity River Association — Elder Ledbetter — 
" Linsey-Woolsey, Tin-Headed" — Elder Mays — Eider 
Clabaugh — Thirteen New Churches — Elder O'Brian — 
Church at Waco — Trinity River High School — Elder Bur- 
leson — Waco University — Elder Benja-min Clark — Elders 
Parks, Green, and Allen — Red River Association — Elder 
Piland — Missions — Elder Pickett — Elder Briscoe — 1848 . 276 

CHAPTER XXY. . 

STA TE CON VENT ION— 1848. 

Necessity for a General Organization — Elder Jesse Mercer — 
The Central Committee — State Convention — Tender-footed 
Preachers — Elder H. L. Graves — A Landmark — Elder 
R. C. Burleson — Missions — Elder Creath — Missionaries 

— Elder Eisher — Elder Ross — ' ' The Texas Baptist " — 
Elder Baines — A Native ''Pitching" Horse— 1848 . . 291 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

TWO ASSOCIATIONS— 18i9. 

A Review — Elm Eork Association — Church at Rowlett's Creek 

— Elder David Myres — Union Church — Missionaries — Elder 
J. M. Myres — Elder Portman — South-eastern Texas — 
Eastern Texas Association — Central Association — Elder ■ 
Lucas — Maine Liquor Law — Labor- Saving Machines — One 
Man doing the Work of Eive — 1849 305 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

HARMONIOUS ACTIVITY— 1860 TO 1852. 

Unity — Collection of Historical Eacts — Elder Jonas Johnston 

— Cherokee Association — High School — Missions — Elder 



CONTENTS. XVir 



PAGE 



Chilton — Great Prosperity — Bethleliem Association — Elder 
Vining — Queries — Elder Phelps — Elder Eeuben E. Brown 
— Elder Pre witt — Deaths — 1850 to 1852 . . . .314 



CHAPTEK XXVIII. 

THE EASTERN CONVENTION— 1853. 

Northern Texas — Sister Grove Association — Elder Briscoe — A 
Good Executive Committee — Elder Walker — Ladonia Insti- 
tute — Elder Featherston — Children of Elder D. B. Morrill — 
Elder Sam Wright — General Association — Elder Lepard — 
Elder Lane — Eastern Convention — Elder Baggerly — Agents 

— East Texas Male College — Elder Rowland — Army Mission 

— Elder M. Y. Smith — Elder McCraw — Brenham Church 

— Judson Association — 1853 324 



CHAPTEK XXIX. 

REVIVALS— 1854: AND 1855. 

Sam. Houston Baptized — General Revival — A Dry Season — 
Meeting at Block House Springs — West Pork Association — 
Elder Eaves — Little River Association — Elder J. S. Allen — 
Elder Cole — Ordination of Elder Anderson — Elder Howard 
— A German Boy — German Mission — Elders Kiefer, Gleiss 
and Heisig — 1854 and 1855 341 



CHAPTER XXX. 

SKETCHES— 1851 TO 1867. 

Death of A. H. Morrell — Patent Oflficc — Austin Association 

— Elder Elledge — Mount Zion Association — Eive Associa- 
tions formed in One Year — Elders Clabaugh and McClain — 
San Marcos Association — Elder Covey — Eider Burroughs 

— Elder Picknc}^ Harris — The Droughts — Elder Law — 
Waco Association — J. W. Speight — Lawyers — Elders 



XVIll CONTENTS. 

PAQB 

Grain and Harris — City of Waco — Elder Carrol — San An- 
tonio Association — War — Triumph of Truth — Condition of 
the Churches — Elder Wm. Carey Crane — Elder J. B. Link 
— 1857 to 1867 . . . . . . . . . 352 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

THE LAST TRIP OF A PIONEER — ISQS. 

British Honduras — Eeasons for Going — A Dream — Families 
Emigrating — New Orleans — A Sermon — City of Belize — 
Population — Execution of Law — Health — Religious De- 
nominations — Elder Henderson — System — Soil of the Coun- 
try — Productions — Palm Tree — Scriptures Illustrated — 
Timber — Disadvantages — Diseases — Sand Fly — Chegre — 
Beef Worm — Bottle Fly — Yampire Bat — Mountains and 
Jungles —Progress of Truth — 1868 and 1869 



CHAPTEE XXXII. 

THE CONCLUSION. 

Texas as it was in 1835, and Texas as it is in 1872 — Area of 
Texas — Population then and now — Droughts — Newspapers 
— Post Offices — Eailroads — Schools — Contrast in number 
of Ministers, Membership, Churches and Associations — 
Prospects 384 




FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

CHAPTEK I. 

A TROUBLED PKEACHER. IN 1835. 

ECEMBER, 1835 — October, 1871. Thirty-six 
3'ears ago I planted my feet on the soil of Texas. 
How great the contrast in our circumstances then 
and now ! And what a train of memorable events 
flashes upon m}^ mind, as I review the conflicts and con- 
quests of these years, — conflicts between barbarism and 
civilization, anarchy and well-regulated government ; con- 
quests of truth over error, and the faith of the gospel over 
priestcraft and superstition. 

A brief history of some of th6 reasons that led the 
writer to Texas may be of interest. Some will, doubtless, 
suppose that a desire to roam over the earth, and to occupy 
fields hitherto uncultivated, was the only reason for this 
change. Not so. Perfect satisfaction was felt with the 
brethren, and the field of " good old Tennessee." But 
fourteen years of excessive ministerial labor in that State, 
attended with much exposure on long tours, swimming high 
waters, and preaching on an average about one sermon a 
day for nine years, brought on hemorrhage of the lungs, 
and made it necessar}^, according to the decision of two of 

19 



20 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

our most eminent physicians, that I should emigrate south, 
and cease my ministerial labors, at least for a series of 
years. Language can never describe the sadness I felt, 
when I realized that the change must be made. Parting 
with fields, friends, brethren, and churches, where I had so 
long been accustomed to witness the triumphs of the gos- 
pel, to take up my abode dmong strangers, with shattered 
health, and with the responsibilities of my family and my 
ministry upon me, all this taxed my Christian fortitude to 
its utmost capacity. 

My mind was turned to Texas in the fall of 1834. Its 
government was then very much disturbed. This obstacle 
in the way, and the additional fact that the iron arm of 
Catholicism was stretched over the whole land of Mexico, 
then embracing the State of Texas, did not make it a very 
desirable field for a Baptist preacher, who had always been 
accustomed to express himself boldly and independently. 
Catholicism, " the man of sin," I considered as a sworn 
enemy to me as a Baptist, and, after committing my way 
to God, I concluded to wait with patience for further light. 

To move south was urged upon me as a present neces- 
sity, and in tears, with wife and four children, I wended 
my way south as far as Yellabusha County, Mississippi, 
and tarried to see what the gathering cloud in Texas would 
bring forth in 1835. 

Sam. Houston was then in Texas among the Cherokee 
Indians, pulling the wires, by making friends with all the 
wild tribes of the red men of the forest ; thereby intending, 
with their aid, and with what emigration he could draw out 
from Tennessee and elsewhere, to set in motion " a little 
two-horse republic under the Lone Star," with the fond ex- 
pectation that he would be its first president. This he had 



A TROUBLED PREACHER. 21 

privately prophesied would be the case, in a confidential in- 
terview with his friend Mcintosh, a deacon of the Baptist 
church at Nashville, about the time Houston abandoned 
the gubernatorial chair of Tennessee. Knowing that I 
had Texas on the brain, and in view of the fact that I had 
been a friend and admirer of Gen. Houston, for my encour- 
agement, my good brother Mcintosh committed this secret 
to me. 

Months of gloom pass away, and I am still in Missis 
sippi. Hemorrhage continues, as I wait the result of the 
climate upon my general health. With the prophecy pre- 
viously alluded to in view, and with my mind turned south 
and west towards Texas, I was confidently expecting every 
day to learn that the political cloud had exploded, and that, 
as Sam. Houston's artillery would flash its lightning and 
roll its thunder across the prairies, the " Lone Star " colors 
would be raised, independence declared, the Republic 
formed, religious liberty established, and then I could go 
to Texas. But, alas ! it is delayed. 

With bleeding lungs, under special orders from my Ten- 
nessee physicians to refrain from preaching, and yet with 
fire burning in my bones to declare the way of salvation to 
the lost, I meet with brethren, acquaintances from Tennes- 
see, and am urged to preach. The temptation was more 
than I could bear. By the way, I have always suffered 
from a weakness of this kind in the midst of gospel desti- 
tution. Three new churches are soon organized. All call 
me to serve as pastor ; which is promptly declined, in con- 
sequence of my health and anticipated removal farther 
west, and I only consent to serve as a supply till other 
arrangements can be made. These churches, added to 
those already in existence in this section, make the organ- 



22 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

ization of a new association, according to the decision of 
the brethren, a necessity. The time and place were agreed 
. upon, and delegates appointed to meet at Troy, a little 
town on the Yellabusha River, in the fall of 1835. Hav- 
ing had a vast amount of trouble in the old State, above 
referred to, with the anti-missionaries, in organizing both 
churches and associations, and having been repeatedly 
ground by them in the flint-mills of tyranny and bigotry, in 
my feeble and worn condition, I confess, I had no anxiety 
to engage in a similar contest in the new State of Missis- 
sippi. Notwithstanding my protest, I was selected as one 
of the delegates to bear a letter for the church. This I 
consented to do, after the church had passed a resolution, 
giving the delegates authority to withdraw the letter and 
return it, provided the association would not agree to an 
organization on gospel principles ; allowing members to 
give to missions or not, as they saw proper. 

These were days when the "old Simon pare" (as they 
called themselves) really thought it was a sin to belong to 
a Missionary Society, Bible or Tract Society, Sunday 
School, Temperance, Odd Fellows' or Masonic Lodge. All 
these were placed in the same category, and non-fellowship 
declared against every member of these institutions, whether 
Jew or Gentile. By the way, I had the audacity to con- 
tend for, belong to, and forward any or all of them when- 
ever opportunities were offered. We met on the ground at 
the appointed time, and Elder Frank Baker was chosen as 
president, after a sermon by Z. N. Morrell. The president 
elect, be it remembered, was a decided anti-missionary, a 
man of wealth and great personal influence ; but, withal, a 
warm-hearted, earnest Christian, never losing his equi- 
librium in the heat of debate. Courteous and kind in all 



A TROUBLED PRE ACME E. 23 

his bearings, full of wit and humor, you could but love him, 
though you differed with him widely. After the temporary 
organization was complete a committee of five — the writer 
a member of it — was appointed to draft articles of faith, 
constitution and rules of decorum. This took place on 
Friday. Saturday was occupied with such business as 
could be properly attended to, waiting the report of the 
committee. 

Preaching on Sunday, as was usual in that day. No cut 
and dried thirty-minute sermons were expected. We met 
at nine in the morning, and continued preaching until the 
sun was low in the west. The congregation on this occa- 
sion was very large, and preachers, one after another, occu- 
pied the entire day. All cool, doctrinal investigations. 

Monday morning at length arrives, and the report of the 
committee appointed on Friday is called for. Now comes 
the tug of war. 

The first objectional feature was found in an article mak- 
ing it criminal to contribute to the support of all the be- 
nevolent institutions of the day ; making special declara- 
tion, that all members of the association should withdraw 
from Masonic Lodges, as they were nursed and fostered by 
the unfruitful ivorks of darkness. As I was a member of 
the committee and the only minister it interfered with, I 
made my objections and enforced them ; but finding myself 
overruled on the committee, I determined to let it pass, and 
fight it before the convention. If the reader will look over 
the long list of benevolent institutions, and remember that 
all these, without a single exception, were severely con- 
demned by the article referred to, he will at once see a vast 
field opened for investigation. One by one they were taken 
up ; objections made and answered. Finall}^, as the day 



24 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

was almost gone, the question was called for, and the objec- 
tionable feature expunged. 

If my memory is not at fault, only one other article came 
up that demanded a decided protest. This article made all 
heretics accountable to the association. This was such a 
plain violation of the word of God, and looked so much 
like lording it over God's heritage, by wresting the power 
from the churches, which I then believed, and do yet be- 
lieve, are the highest authority either civil or ecclesiastical 
under heaven ; and in addition to this, considering my great 
exhaustion in consequence of the former debate, I resolved 
with the brethren who came with me to let it pass, and, by 
authority of the church of which I was a member, withdraw 
from the association and return home. The Author of the 
truth decided otherwise. Thanks to his great name, al- 
though I did not feel able mentally or physically to enter 
into an extended argument on this great question, yet I was 
able to cry No when the vote was taken, so as to be heard 
at the extreme limits of a large congregation. Profound 
silence reigned for some time. The president re-examined 
during the pause the letter we had borne, giving some discre- 
tionary power, and requested the association to call for the 
reasons of the long and emphatic No. By a vote of the 
body, after an almost unanimous ay in favor of the article, I 
was in my weakness called to the defence of the truth. 
With a church history in my hand, that was a favorite with 
me at the time, the minutes of some of the oldest Associa- 
tions of America, and with an open Bible, I took my stand, 
and gave the following reasons, which I will here condense 
as much as possible : — 

1st. The law of God is violated in this article, by trans- 
ferring to the association the responsibility touching here- 



A TROUBLED PREACHER. 25 

tics, that Christ and the apostles fixed upon the churches. 
If Grod in his word has referred matters of discipline to the 
church, as his executive, then it is positive rebellion against 
the King in Zion for any other body to assume disciplinary 
powers. 

2d. A grand objection to the article is found in the fact, 
that the annual meetings of the association, to which jom 
propose making heretics responsible, are nowhere in the 
Scriptures referred to as annual convocations. Baptists 
have ever held, that associations are bodies created by the 
churches and subject to their creative authority ; simply as 
advisory councils, and to effect by combinations of churches 
what could not be accomplished by single churches in 
spreading the blessings of the gospel of peace. 

3d. No power can create a power greater than itself. 
The association was here shown to be the creature of the 
churches, and therefore inferior in authority to the power 
that made it. Water cannot rise above its level. Man was 
not greater than his creator. No association, conference, or 
convention has the right to wrest a man from the authority 
of the church, and try him for heresy. 

At the close of this discussion the convention adjourned, 
and repaired to the house of the president, one mile and a 
half distant, where preaching had been announced for the 
night. As before remarked, he was a man of wealth. 
Here we found a large house and a liberal heart. Preaching 
was soon over, and brother Baker, to-day our president, and 
to-night our landlord, with the brethren assembled in a large 
chamber, was delighting himself with good-humored boasts 
of belonging to the company of " old iron jackets and steel 
buttons," now and then making sarcastic hits at the mis- 
sionaries and their folly in trying to do God*s work. To 



26 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

this I could only reply, that we missionaries had one decided 
advantage. While the " iron jackets " boast of election 
and predestination, the missionaries are masters of the 
situation. "How is that ?" cries the anti-missionary. We 
reply, " You worship a God that saw the end from the be- 
ginning, but left out all the means leading to and accom- 
plishing the end. We worship an all-wise God who ordained 
the means leading to the end, as well as the end itself; and 
he has ordained the foolishness of preaching to save them 
that believe, as a means in his own hands." He asks, 
"Where do you find the word means f 2 Samuel xiv. 
14 : " For we must needs die, and are as water spilt upon 
the ground, which cannot be gathered up again ; neither 
doth God respect any person : yet doth he devise means, 
that his banished be not expelled from him." 

I give this simply as a sample of the subjects and mode 
of discussion, during all the recesses, at our general con- 
vocations of that day. 

Tuesday morning at eight o'clock the business of the body 
was resumed. Good attendance promptly at the hour. The 
objectionable article touching heretics was expunged, and 
the association was permanently organized, with brother 
Baker as moderator, and brother Wm. Minter clerk. 

This about closed my labors in Mississippi, still looking 
at the political cloud hanging over Texas, until the sign 
should be given to pursue my journey south for my health. 

On the first Sunday in December, 1835, after having ad- 
ministered both the ordinances of the church, baptism and 
the supper, — a cold, drizzly evening, — I returned home and 
found friends from Tennessee. Among them were two law- 
yers, Chester and Hayes, both nephews by marriage to 
General Jackson, then president of the United States ; 



A TROUBLED PREACHER. 27 

also brethren Moore and Hunt, deacons of the first two 
churches I ever organized ; and last, but not least, my old 
physician, Dr. Butler. I had never been charged by my 
brethren and friends up to this time, nor have I since, with 
being over-prudent concerning my health. On this occasion, 
I received from my old physician a severe, but I suppose 
timely- and merited, rebuke, for riding, preaching and bap- 
tizing on such a day. The doctor's language, as near as I 
can recall it, was as follows : " Hemorrhage of the lungs 
yet. You seem determined to kill yourself. I once thought 
you were a man of common sense, but I am now led to 
doubt it." An impression was made upon my mind, and I 
determined to try to do better in future. Some of the best 
preachers we have ever had in Texas have possessed zeal 
not well tempered with knowledge, and have been cut down 
in the prime of manhood. Let every preacher, and espe- 
cially the younger ones, who read this, remember, that God 
has given his ministers a physical machinery that should be 
cared for, and that fearful responsibilities rest upon them 
in the midst of neglect. 

Conversation now turned on Texas. These gentlemen 
were on their way to examine the country. The difficulties 
that had been in the way were b}' this time removed. Sam. 
Houston was at the head of a few hundred men, and calling 
on his friends in Tennessee and elsewhere for more ; the war 
was in progress ; troops were collecting at San Antonio ; 
the independence of Texas was among the certainties of 
the future ; would soon belong to the United States, and 
according to our opinion was the garden spot of the sunny 
South. These friends had just seen a letter from General 
Jackson to Adam Huntsman, of Tennessee, to the effect 
that Colonel Butler, then minister plenipotentiary to Mex- 



28 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

ico, was instructed by the president to accede to proposi- 
tions made by General Santa Anna, and close the treaty 
forthwith for all the territory east of the Rio Grande. The 
supposition then was, based upon these facts, that a pur- 
chase would soon be made, and Texas would be free from 
Mexican rule and the tyranny of priestcraft. 

The map of the country was placed before us, and the 
" Falls of the Brazos " was pointed out as a desirable lo- 
cality for a colony to be formed. I was urged to join the 
party ; the doctor underwrites for the effect of the climate 
upon my health ; a night of anxious consultation with my 
family gets my consent, and, after two days are given to 
preparation, we are off for Texas. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE DECISION. — IN 1836. 




HERE there is a will there is a way,*' is an 
old adage that is true, provided there is not 
too much undertaken, and provided, further, 
that the enterprise is in accordance with the 
will of God. Two hundred and fifty miles lay between me 
and the nearest soil of Texas, and it was about five hun- 
dred to the "Falls of the Brazos." But few believed that 
I could make this journey on horseback, yet a still small 
voice from Macedonia was heard, and the angel of the 
vision bid me go forward, saying, "God hath much people 
in that land." We pass many things of interest ; cross 
the father of American waters at Rodney, Red River at 
Alexandria, and reach old "Fort Gaines" on the Sabine, 
December 21, 1835. 

Our company numbered six, and while crossing the 
Sabine, the ferryman related the following incident, that 
made a deep impression upon our minds. The river at this 
crossing was the dividing line between Louisiana and Texas. 
Only a few days before a man rode up on the Louisiana 
side, evidently under great excitement, and at the top of 
his voice ordered the ferryman to bring over the boat. Sup- 
posing there was some emergenc}^, the boat was promptly 
carried to the opposite shore, and the man landed as quick 
as possible on the Texas side. Just as he was ashore, an 
officer, with a body of men in pursuit of this refugee from 

29 



30 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

justice, hailed on the eastern bank. The man, recognizing 
his pursuers, mounted his horse, rode up the hill entirely 
out of reach, and very deliberately made this short and 
pointed speech: "Gentlemen, I am just a little too fast 
for your sort. You have no authority out of the United 
States. I am entirely safe." Alighting from his horse and 
kissing the ground, he continued : " The Sabine River is a 
greater Saviour than Jesus Christ. He only saves men when 
they die from going to hell ; but this river saves living men 
from prison." 

"We now began to realize the truth of what we had so 
often heard, that Texas was a place of refuge for scoun- 
drels. Seeing that an impression was made upon our minds, 
and that all the company remained silent and thoughtful, 
the jocular ferryman, in order to dispel the cloud of gloom, 
continued : '• And, gentlemen, what have you done that you 
have come to Texas?" The eyes of the lawyers, the doc- 
tor, the deacons, and the preacher, that composed our com- 
pany, were turned inquiringly towards each other, and while 
each waited for another to reply, no one answered. After 
ferriage was paid, we steered our course towards San Augus- 
tine. 

The conversation now turned on the character of the 
inhabitants of the country through which we must pass, 
and a cloud of gloom for the evening hung over our spirits. 
We at no time would have felt disappointed at meeting rob- 
bers and cut-throats at any turn in the road. The evening's 
travel, through a poor, piney woods country, brought us to a 
house, a little more comfortable than we expected to find ; 
but as there was a country store close by, at which we' saw 
a company of suspicious-looking men just before darkness 
closed in upon us, we spent the first night in Texas in 



THE DECISION. 31 

about the same fever of anxiety that we imagine was com- 
mon with men at that day on their arrival in the State. The 
family treated us with marked civility, which of itself ren- 
dered much relief. Approaching San Augustine, the lands 
are more valuable, high, and greatly undulating. 

On our arrival in the town we received reliable informa- 
tion of the battle, in which the Americans, on the tenth of 
December, 1835, took possession of San Antonio, after a 
hard struggle. Col. Milam was among the slain. We 
learned also that the soldiers were on their way home, after 
a three months' campaign. 

Nacogdoches was the next town of importance before us. 
Regrets were expressed by the legal gentlemen that they 
were in Texas too late to share the honors of war, for 
which the battle of San Antonio had offered a good oppor- 
tunity. This is no more than would have been expected 
from Hayes and Chester, now related by marriage to the 
"hero of New Orleans." Some of us, however, desired no 
such honors, especial!}^ as it would have required the peril 
of life, and in view of the responsibilities of wives and 
children behind us. High aspirations were at that early 
day freely indulged in by men who had acquired in some 
of the older States the smallest degree of distinction at the 
bar, or from some petty office. Such men easily worked 
themselves up to the belief that in this new country, in a 
very short time, they could become generals or statesmen 
among a people that they had been taught to believe con- 
sisted only of the dregs and renegades from the United 
States, north and south, as well as from various parts of 
Europe. Emigrants from Ireland and parts of the United 
States had settled in Texas as early as 1823 ; some even be- 
fore that time. 



32 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

It is true that just such an element was found in Texas 
at this time ; thrown together in a wilderness country with- 
out restraint ; mingling with the red men of the forest ; 
roving over these wide-stretching prairies, overshadowed 
with a mild climate. Flowers bloomed and fruit was grow- 
ing at almost all seasons of the year. Game of almost 
every description was so plentiful that it required but little 
more effort upon the part of man than the animal to obtain 
a subsistence. All these great blessings could only pro- 
duce one result upon that class of the population above 
referred to, and that result was indolence^ producing a ret- 
rograde movement on the intellect of the first immigrants, 
whose stock of knowledge, it was thought by the aspirants 
then entering the State, was of small importance at first. 
There were supposed to be no counterbalancing influences 
brought to bear. Here was a semi-savage, Mexican gov- 
ernment, administered by a tyrant, himself under the 
tyranny of Catholicism, demoralizing in its character, and 
but one step in advance of the most degrading heathenism. 
With this picture before the minds of ambitious men, high 
anticipations were indulged in. 

What position was offered to the writer of this humble 
narrative? He had but little of earth's goods, and had 
only acquired the name of an industrious, thorough-going 
" cane-brake Baptist preacher." Before his mind appeared 
at once a wide field for missionary operations, offering him 
honors far superior to any civil or military promotions. 
We could hear on inquiry of but one Baptist preacher in 
all this wide domain, and this was Daniel Parker of " two- 
seed" notoriety, from Illinois, and whose writings had been 
scattered all over Tennessee. Here was a field large 
enough for several " cane-brake preachers" to labor in the 



THE DECISION. 33 

organization of society on gospel principles. By this time 
my health was rapidly improving, and for several years I 
had no more hemorrhage. 

We were soon in the old town of Nacogdoches, inquiring 
into the operations of this novel government, and the dif- 
ficulties between Mexico and Texas, that had been instru- 
mental in producing the then existing revolution'. A long 
detail was given by the landlord and his associates of the 
grievances of the Texas family, — and a most remarkable 
family it was. One class has just been under consideration, 
composed, in Scripture phraseology, of " lewd fellows of 
the baser sort." 

Among the company that relates to us the oppressions 
of the people, we come in contact with one who is the rep- 
resentative of another class. He is the proud, wealthj^ son 
of aristocracy. In youth he had been the child of affection, 
with all the advantages that wealth and education could 
confer. There were imprints stamped upon his deportment 
too delicate, too refined for us to mistake his mother. 
Noble blood coursed through his veins. Every flash of his 
eye, movement of his lips, nod of his head, and motion of 
his hand, with the beautifully rounded sentences and mu- 
sical tones of his voice, declared to his auditors, while he 
repeats the grievances of this family of Texans, that he 
had passed through the universities of America, or some 
other clime ; and it is written upon his demeanor that he 
came off with the first honors of his class. But, alas ! 
there had been with him an evil hour. One evening, after 
his return from the schools, and while meditating upon the 
best plan to pursue in entering upon his vocation for life, 
he took tea at home, surrounded by all the sweet influences 
of a devoted mother and affectionate sisters, lighted a cigar, 



34 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

and took a stroll round town with a friend. A social glass 
for mere pastime was indulged in. The first was exhilarat- 
ing ; a second was called for, and, under the excitement it 
produced, he forgot his promise to return home at ten, 
entered the hall of amusement, and, unfortunately, lost 
money. Home was sought at a late hour, with spirits cast 
down. The next evening he determined to regain the lost 
treasure, and so continued for successive weeks. At last 
he decided that his money was lost by fraud, and, in a 
fit of desperation, slew his antagonist. Passion subsided ; 
and, when reason resumed her sway, he saw that he had 
trampled upon the laws of his country, and must either 
submit to a terrible fate or flee from the State. During the 
lonely watches of the night he parted with all that he had 
loved, and in haste crossed the Sabine. Crossing the Zme, 
he hurled back at his pursuers no such curses as those that 
escaped the former refugee, but resolved to be a sober man, 
and repented of his crime. But the laws of Tennessee 
demanded punishment instead of repentance, and he could 
not return. 

He writes to his friends, from his home in the west, — 
tells of its fine climate, its beautiful prairies, its vast re-~ 
sources in the growth of cotton, corn and sugar, its 
immense herds of game, from the buffalo down to the mule- 
eared rabbit, and insists upon a visit from his friends. His 
letter is read by his old college associates ; they come — 
return — report favorably, and families of wealth and en- 
terprise gather around " our beloved Tom." Tom's mother 
was a noble spirit. This we could easily see from the 
bearing of the son. Other letters are written back by 
families brought to the State through his influence, all cor- 
roborating the statements of the unfortunate boy. In the 



TRE DECISION. 35 

language of David when hi*^ son was dead, the mother had 
for a long time inquired, " Can I bring him back again?" 

David's reply to the question asked by himself was her 
reply : " I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." 
Moved by this firm resolve, the parents, brothers, sisters, 
and a large company of the best people of the land had 
followed on. 

Here you may see at a glance, that in 1835 there was a 
population, though small, of great variety. Among the 
" wood, hay and stubble " were found also " gold, silver and 
precious stones." Here was intellect of a higher type, and 
morality of a better cast, than we had formerly supposed ; 
and among the people were a few whose " prayers and 
alms went up as a memorial before God." 

Leaving Nacogdoches our legal associates expressed a 
decided anxiety to meet some of the soldiers, and get all 
the particulars of the battle. We had received from our 
landlord the names of several of our distinguished citizens 
from Tennessee, who had gone on this campaign. 

Most of the lands for some distance were poor, except 
on the creeks, and a large quantity of this was at times 
overflowed. Prospects for health could not therefore be 
very flattering. 

Approaching the Neches River, we met a company of 
soldiers, fresh from the seat of war. We agreed at once to 
get all the information from them that they were willing to 
communicate. Our horses were drinking in a beautiful 
stream as they rode up, and one of our number, appointed 
as spokesman, pleasantly and politely addressed them: 
" Good-morning, gentlemen. You seem to be travelling 
from, the west, approaching the east. You must be in 
pursuit of light. We are from the east, approaching the 



36 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

west. We are in possession of some information, but 
would like to receive further news from the west. Suppose 
we alight, and, while our horses are grazing, exchange 
papers and notions for an hour." The foremost man, 
wearing a coon-skin cap, with the tail hanging down his 
back, his coat in rags, his shirt much the color of the hog- 
wallow lands of the west, one leg of his pantaloons off at 
the knee, his feet protected by rawhide moccasins, with 
the hair on just as it grew on the cow, and resting in raw- 
hide stirrups, readily agreed, and dismounting invited us 
all to make ourseh^es " at home." We at once entered 
into an animated conversation. The writer, in order to 
lead them out, and also to gratify the legal gentlemen from 
Tennessee, expressed some doubts as to whether the laws 
of nations would justify Texas in her revolt. In an instant 
the coon-skin cap was laid aside, the long black hair was 
thrown back from a forehead and eye that spoke intelli- 
gence of a high order. Legal questions too deep for a 
cane-brake preacher were soon raised, and we soon ascer- 
tained that Tennesseeans could just about ask questions 
enough to keep Texans talking. Coon-skin caps, rawhide 
moccasins and stirrups and lariats, long hair and soiled 
garments, were not at all in their way. Having received 
the desired information, we parted, with many hearty 
wishes for success in all future enterprises. They had 
clearly shown that Texas had sufficient reasons for revolu- 
tion, and that there was ground for strong hopes of inde- 
pendence and annexation. 

On parting some of the noble band took occasion, with- 
out speaking clearly, to indicate that they had seen initia- 
tions, passings and raisings among the honorable ; and be- 
yond had seen Mark Masters, Past Masters and Most Ex- 



THE DECISION. 37 

cellent Masters, and had passed under royal arches in their 
travels in the West. 

We are now on our way, with the Neches River only a 
short distance ahead. Conversation of course turned on 
the soldier boys, on their way from San Antonio to their 
homes. One of the lawyers declared they were the smart- 
est set of men, take them as a whole, he ever met. They 
numbered twenty-five or thirty, and while the man with the 
coon-skin cap was a leader in conversation, yet they all 
talked freely and intelligently. We had previously been 
told that we were " green from the States ; " but now we 
began to realize it. Our appreciation of Texas intellect, 
you see, had thus far increased at every step. While we 
deplored the misfortunes that had brought refugees from 
justice to Texas, of which class " our Tom " was a fair speci- 
men, we rejoiced that God had used the unfortunate boy as 
an instrument in his hands to bring to the State good men 
and pious women, with intellect and wealth sufficient, under 
a favorable government, to develop the resources of the 
country, and form a nucleus around which good society 
might be formed. We frequently felt quite amused at the 
misapprehension under which people in the older States 
labored, and sometimes soliloquized thus : " He who goes in 
search of fools and greenhorns need not come to Texas." 
I also felt some gratification, I freely confess, in seeing my 
legal associates out-generalled upon questions of law by the 
soldiers ; especially as I had been used as a cat's-paw to 
bring on the conversation alluded to. Under these con- 
siderations and circumstances I began to feel, when only 
one hundred miles in the State, that warm admiration for 
Texas and Texans, which afterwards, in the strength of my 



38 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

manhood, burned in my soul, and which still lives to stimu- 
late me in my declining years. 

Neches River was soon crossed. We very soon observed 
some change in the country, occasionally a small prairie, 
as we approached the Trinity, at Robin's ferry. Crossing 
this stream, we entered, on rising the western bank, the first 
large prairie we ever saw, stretching further to the west 
than the eye could reach. It is hard to describe the 
emotions of the soul on looking for the first time across a 
vast prairie. The feeling is somewhat akin to that experi- 
enced on the first visit to the beach. Land and water there 
bore some resemblance. Here vv^e took the old San Antonio 
road. But little timber was in sight during the evening, 
except a few post-oak groves ; the trees so low that a Ten- 
nesseean was at a loss to know what was to be done for fenc- 
ing. The land was superior, we thought, to what we had 
seen ; but this did not fill the bill yet. 

Night came on — a clear, cloudless night upon the prairie • 
— who can describe it? No chouse in sight. In the midst 
of the grandeur of the scene, we confess to a feeling of 
loneliness. A few miles more, and a light in the distance 
gave evidence of the habitation of man. This consisted of 
one room, a small post-oak cabin sixteen feet square, dirt 
floor, and the habitation of man, wife and five children. 
Our company, it will be remembered, numbered six. Any 
port in a storm. I was appointed spokesman again. " Hem, 
halloo, can we stay all night ? " "Without asking any ques- 
tions about our number, a voice was heard from the door : 
" We never turn anybody ofi", sir. Light, gentlemen, if you 
think you can put up with our fare." This invitation was 
given with such manifest hospitality that the party instantly 
dism9unted, feeling quite at home. We were at once asked 



THE DECISION. 39 

if we would have our horses staked or Jiobbled. Said I, 
" Staked " ? for I had never heard the word used in this con- 
nection before. A lad about ten years of age was standing 
near the father, who addressed his mother in an under-tone, 
but within our hearing : '' Perfectly green from the States." 
The preacher was sold again, to the great amusement of the 
company. After an explanation of the word staked was 
given, I decided that my mule would not stand comfortably 
at one end of a rawhide lariat, with the other tied to a 
post, and said " hobble.'* All the rest said " stake." Some 
of us slept inside the cabin, but m.ore slept out. It was my 
time for amusement, when during the night the cry was 
heard, " Up and to your horses ! " Some of the horses (for 
they were as " green from the States " as their masters) 
were tangled in their ropes, and whirling around like wind- 
mills ; while others were down, kicking and cutting their legs 
terribly. 

Twelve miles further, and we reached the Navasota River 
bottom — an ugly stream — land on the river all subject to 
overflow ; must be very sickly, we thought. The timber con- 
sisted principally of hackberry, elm, oak, and some wild 
china. 

"We were now pressed hard by a former engagement. 
By agreement we were to meet the ex-congressman David 
Crockett, from Gibson County, Tennessee, on Christmas 
day, at the " Falls of the Brazos," and have a bear-hunt. 
I had lived in the same country with this distinguished 
person for eight years, and on several occasions had joined 
him in the chase. We were by this agreement bound to 
press forward with all possible haste, as it was now the 26th 
of December, and a long day's ride between us and the 
place. Some of our two-hundred-dollar celebrated horses 



40 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

were quite lame, in consequence of getting so much 
" green " peeled off at one time, during the previous night, 
and our progress by this accident was considerably re- 
tarded. 

A hard ride brought us to brother Jesse "Webb's, whom 
we had known from character in Tennessee, now living 
near the " Little Brazos," and near the present locality of 
Calvert, on the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. 
Here we were kindly received by a brother, whose eyes, 
about ten years after, it was made the writer's duty to 
close, when death had done his work. 

While staking our horses to, grass, he pointed to a post 
where a horse was standing tied a few nights before, when 
an Indian came, cut the rope, and carried the animal away. 
We had given our horses no corn since crossing the Trinity. 
Some of their legs were sore from " walking ropes ; " we 
had travelled since morning near fifty miles ; must go on 
the morrow through a country infested with Indians, — all 
of which led some of the company to plead right earnestly 
for corn. We were informed that the supply on hand was 
needed for bread ; that the family had lived without bread, 
except one barrel of flour, while the present crop was being 
made ; and that one party stood guard, while the other 
ploughed, during the entire season. Besides this, a widow 
hard by must be fed from that crib, or suffer. 

The preacher could not be spokesman for corn after 
these statements ; but some of the party offered ten dollars 
for a bushel, in view of the fact that we might have to 
make a race from the Indians before another sun went 
down. The corn was brought ; not because ten dollars 
per bushel were offered, but because of genuine hospitality, 
as the sequel will show. Our supper consisted principally 



THE decision: 41 

of hear bacon, turnip greens, and fresh buffalo beef. You 
may be sure that, tked and hungiy as we were, we did 
ample justice to the feast around such a board. 

The two deacons of our company, who had served with 
Sam. Houston in the Creek war, and had fought b}^ his 
side at the time he received the wound that helped to make 
him governor of Tennessee, both felt the importance of a 
guard for our horses, and it was detailed. 

The fact being ascertained that a preacher was to be 
entertained for the night, God was thanked by our pious 
host, and upon invitation we surrounded our first family 
altar in Texas, The guard was changed, and we retired 
towards midnight to rest. It was rather a novel idea to 
some of us, that men could sleep under such circumstances. 
Daylight came ; horses were all safe, and after a much 
relished breakfast, and horses prepared for the journe}^, our 
bill was called for, and a genuine Texas bill was pre- 
sented : " Call and see me on your return." Some of the 
crowd took care to pay the lad for the corn, and paid him 
well. A sharp lookout was kept all day for Indians. 
Game was seen in every direction, in great numbers. We 
saw land during the day that had been cultivated, without 
fence, and we supposed, from appearances, that it had grown 
fifty bushels to the acre. Some of the corn was not then 
gathered. At night we were at the "Falls of the Brazos," 
the long-sought resting-place for a season. 

Here we found but one famil}^ There was, close by, the 
camp of about forty Tennesseeans, They were all out on 
Little River, hunting lands. Upon inquir}^, we found that 
David Crockett had not arrived, and consequently the bear- 
hunt with him was a disappointment. After a little rest, 
we began a thorough examination of the country for our- 



42 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

selves. Our expectation as to the great value of the lands 
was fully realized. The country was all we could desire, — 
lands very rich, range extraordinarily good, wood and water 
plenty, and the prospect for health very flattering. The 
river at this time was very low at this point, — not over 
knee-deep to our horses, — the falls about ten perpendicu- 
lar feet, and the water below them abounding with fish. 
We examined the place minutely with reference to its 
capacity to run machinery. A few old Texans yet live 
who remember that the stream was quite narrow at this 
point in 1836. 

After a satisfactor}^ examination was made of the sur- 
rounding country, we left for the three forks of Little 
River, about thirty-five miles south-west. No roads, except 
small trails through this wilderness. Great uneasiness was 
felt at this time relative to Indian depredations. There 
were fears of a general outbreak, predicated upon the 
amount of stealing going on through the country since the 
war began between the Americans and Mexicans. The 
Mexicans were evidently encouraging all the wild tribes to 
exterminate the colonists. 

General Sam. Houston now had use for all his ingenuity 
among the Indians to evade the fatal catastrophe. The war 
between Indians and colonists was also being hurried on by 
the land speculators, as their lands were valueless without 
an increase of population in this part of the State. So 
much for the state of the country. 

Our trail was quite difficult to follow. Mustang, or ,wild 
Mexican horses, had trails going in almost every direction. 
Our path was distinguished from theirs by the prints of 
horse-shoes. Occasionally a buffalo trail crossed ours, but 
the difference was easily detected. Yonder in the distance 



THE DECISION. 43 

was seen a large herd of mustangs, and on every hand 
great numbers of deer. We had become so much accus- 
tomed to the latter that by this time they attracted but 
little attention. All were watching for an Indian and a 
buffalo. 

Rising the hill across Elm Creek, the leader of our party 
cried out, "What is that, with a hump on his back?" The 
animal, startled by the sight of man and the sound of the 
human voice, gave that noise peculiar to the buffalo tribe, 
and off went a large herd, making the earth almost tremble 
beneath the terrible stampede. Here was an open field, no 
timber, a chance for a fair race ; not one of us had ever seen 
a buffalo in his life, and it was really amusing to see old men, 
farmers, and deacons in the Baptist church, with the repre- 
sentatives of three honorable professions, all forgetting 
that they were seven or eight hundred miles from home, 
with horses jaded, and some of them not well since their 
performance on the ropes, running their animals at the top 
of their speed, and shouting with all their might. Here we 
went, helter-skelter. Hurrah boj^s ! bang, bang, bang, went 
guns and pistols, and away went the herd, following close 
upon the heels of their leader. They ran scientifically, 
with the right foot before, a side at a time, for three or four 
hundred j^ards. Then the leader would change and run 
with the left foot before, every buffalo following him mak- 
ing the same change. The writer, poor fellow, rode a mule, 
and it would show its blood. It would run with all its 
might towards the herd ; but when it would get within forty 
yards, and sniff the peculiar odor that escapes the buffalo in 
the chase, it would invariably shy round. Whenever I 
would get near enough and ready to shoot, I would find my 



44 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

mule at right angles with my game, and bounding rapidly 
away. I thought to myself, "No meat for me, unless this 
part of the performance can be changed." The herd was 
soon gone, with no damage done that we could discover, 
and it was with difficulty that we found our way back to 
the trail. The supposition was that we had gone about two 
miles in this race. When night overtook us, we had 
travelled thirty miles, and were at the only house we had 
seen since starting in the morning. 

Here on Little River we found the forty Tennessee land- 
hunters, and among them Deacon Cartwell from the Baptist 
church in Nashville. What a joyful and unexpected meet- 
ing it was ! "Why," said brother Cartwell, "I never ex- 
pected to see our cane-brake preacher again. I heard that 
you had died with hemorrhage of the lungs." My health 
by this time was almost entirely restored, and my voice 
clear and full ; at least this was the decision of my comrades 
on our return to the trail, after the buffalo chase was over. 
(Mr. Childress, whose wife was a Baptist, was the occupant 
and owner of that little lone cabin in this wilderness, and 
the family and land-hunters decided that they must have a 
sermon after supper ; and accordingly I preached my first 
sermon in Texas, in camp, on the thirtieth of December, 
1835. \ Here we spent a few daj^s, and went out near where 
the city of Austin is now located, on the Colorado River. 

After an absence of about twelve days Deacon Hunt and 
I were back at the Falls ; the other four having remained 
with the land-hunters. Our mission was accomplished, and 
we were seriously considering the propriety of moving the 
family eight hundred miles, to settle in the wilderness. The 
climate certainly would be suitable for one in my. condition, 



TBE DECISION. 45 

and as I conld neither preach in Tennessee nor Mississippi 
without endangering my life, I felt a strong inclination to 
make the change. After much praj^er and meditation my 
mind was made up, and I thank God yet for the decision. 



CHAPTEE III. 

THE WILDERNESS SHALL BLOSSOM AS THE HOSE. 1836. 



ONE can tell, except a husband and father who 
has experienced the emotion, the feelings with 
f%J) 1^ which I mounted my animal, that I hoped would 
^* — carry me to my loved ones in the east. On the 
tenth day of January, 1836, Deacon Hunt and the writer 
were " homeward bound." In the evening we were back 
at brother Webb's. Near the place where Wheelock is now 
located we found a garden full of vegetables, presenting 
more the appearance of spring than winter. I had just left 
wild rye and grass in the Brazos River bottom over knee 
high, and here the potato-vines were not killed in the 
fields. While Texas has changed from a savage to a civil- 
ized state during these thirty-six years, its climate has, in 
many respects, undergone material changes. 

January, 1836, wore the garments of spring at the Falls 
of the Brazos. I am now writing in Washington County, 
two degrees south ; it is January, 1872, and, as I look 
through my window, the earth, the trees and houses are 
clad in garments of snow. It is much colder in winter 
now, more sultry in summer, and, as a rule, rains more now 
in one year than it did then in three. 

Nothing of special importance occurred until we reached 
the old town of Nacogdoches in the east. Having an im- 
portant engagement to be at a point beyond Nacogdoches 
46 



TRE WILDERNESS SHALL BLOSSOM AS THE ROSE. 47 

on Sunday night, that must be met " if the Lord will," and 
being twenty miles west of the town when the sun of Sun- 
day morning rose, I felt compelled to violate my former 
custom and travel on the Lord's day. My mind was by no 
means at ease. Several Sundays had come and gone while 
we were in the wilderness, and only one sermon had been 
preached, and that on an eveniug during the week. This 
was by no means the course I had pursued for fourteen 
years in Tennessee. My very soul burned within me to 
preach Jesus. 

An election was in progress when I reached the town. 
This was the law and custom of the country in that day. 
Here was a large crowd of Americans, Mexicans, and In- 
dians of several different tribes. My mule was soon tied, 
and after consultation with my great Master — for I had no 
one else to consult with — I decided to preach, and began 
looking around for a suitable place. Near by the vast 
crowd I saw the foundation timbers of a large framed 
building already laid. No floor had been laid, nor upright 
pieces raised. No sooner discovered than I selected one 
corner of this for a pulpit, — the sills and sleepers already 
laid and well adjusted would answer for seats. I held up 
my watch in my hand, and cried at the top of my voice, 
"0-3^es! o-yes ! o-yes ! everybody that wants to buy, 
without money -and without price, come this way," — and 
commenced singing the old battle-song: " Am I a soldier 
of the cross ? " Before I finished my song there was around 
me a large crowd of all sorts and sizes and colors. A 
brief prayer was offered, and the two verses sung, " 'Tis 
religion that can give," amidst profound silence. Aston- 
ishment, rather than reverence, was stamped upon their 
features. Across the street was a large upper gallery, and 



48 FLOWEBS AND FRUITS. 

by this time it was full of ladies and gentlemen. Just at 
this point some wagons and a carriage, evidently belonging 
to movers, drove np close to where I was standing, and I 
recognized brother Wm. Whitaker and family, from Hardi- 
man County, Tennessee, three of whose daughters I had 
baptized in the old State. The preacher who reads this 
will understand the effect this produced upon the speaker. 
My text was announced from Isaiah xxxv. 1 : " The wilder- 
ness and the solitary place shall be glad for them ; and the 
desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." Never did 
the cane-brake preacher receive better attention. God 
blessed me with great liberty for one hour, amid many 
tears shed all around me. The congregation was dis- 
missed in due form, and there were many hearty shakes 
given the strange preacher's hand. My soul was full to 
overflowing, and at that moment I believed the text. God 
has not disappointed me. 

We took a Red River steamer at Nachitoches for Natchez, 
and reshipping there landed at Memphis. Passing through 
the western district of Tennessee, I preached to my old 
churches, having been absent from them, amid very many 
trials, for about six months. My business was closed up as 
rapidly as possible ; arriving in Mississippi, found my 
loved ones all well and willing to share with me the for- 
tunes of Texas, be they good or bad. 




CHAPTER IV. 

WAR. — 1836. 

REPARATIONS preceding a removal from an old 
country to a new one reaiind me very much of the 
preparation necessary to be made in going from 
time to eternity. A great many articles formerly 
of use must now be dispensed with, and other articles at a 
great price must be obtained. Preparation necessary being 
made, we were all soon on board the steamer " Statesman/' 
about the first of April, 1836. After a smooth and quick 
voyage we were landed at Nachitoches, Louisiana ; teams 
were purchased and provisions laid in for the long over- 
land journej^ 

On the first day and every day till we reached the Sabine, 
we met families running away from Texas. On the second 
day of March the declaration of independence was signed 
by the convention in session at Washington, Texas, de- 
claring Texas a sovereign, free and independent Republic. 
Exasperated b}^ this bold stand of the people, and in view of 
the defiance of Travis, Crockett, and Bowie at San Antonio, 
the Alamo under the eye of Santa Anna had been surrounded 
on Sunday morning, March 6th, by the entire Mexican 
army, and one hundred and eighty-eight brave men put to 
the sword, and the Texans were at this time in full retreat 
under Sam. Houston, and the Mexicans in full pursuit under 
Santa Anna. I was upbraided by everybody I met, and 
by some cursed as a fool, declaring that my family would 

49 



50 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

be slain either by Mexicans or Indians before we would get 
far beyond the Sabine. Seldom in life had I turned back, 
and, trusting in God, we travelled on. 

Reliable information soon met us to the effect that 
General Houston, with his forces, consisting of seven hun- 
dred and eighty- three men, had engaged the Mexicans near 
two thousand strong, routed the army and captured Santa 
Anna. Mexican loss was six hundred and thirty killed, 
two hundred and eight wounded, and seven hundred and 
thirty prisoners, with all their camp equipage and the mil- 
itary chest, containing twelve thousand dollars. Texan 
loss was only eight killed, and twenty-five wounded. This 
famous battle, which turned the scales in favor of freedom, 
for a people borne down by oppressions grievous to endure, 
was fought on the twenty-first day of April, 1836. 

Santa Anna, by permission of General Sam. Houston, 
sent a courier to his general next in rank to himself, order- 
ing him and all the Mexican forces out of Texas. The 
cowardly Mexican tyrant now sat crouching at the feet of 
the " Hero of San Jacinto," no doubt dwelling upon the 
fate of the Alamo, and the murder of the one hundred and 
eighty-eight brave men by his own order, on Sunday, 
the sixth of March ; and well remembering the order he 
had given to generals in command of the different divis- 
ions of his army, to shoot all the prisoners that fell into 
their hands, which had resulted in the coldest-blooded 
murder of the brave Fannin, and three hundred and thirty 
men at Goliad, on Sunday, March 27th, who were promised, 
if they would surrender, to be treated kindly as prisoners of 
war, and to be sent in vessels at once to the United States. 
Trembling for his own personal safety, and for the prisoners 
taken at the same battle, he was willing, at least for the 
time being, for peace. 



WAB. 51 

The families were now all invited back. Some of them 
had taken such a fright that they did not return for a year ; 
others never unloaded their wagons. We stopped at 
San Augustine several days, and rested the family and 
teams. While there I met with Sam. Houston for the first 
time in Texas, then suffering from the wound received at 
the battle of San Jacinto. He entertained no doubt of the 
success of the " little two-horse republic" that he had seen 
with prophetic eye years before, while yet in Tennessee. 

The Cherokee Indians then occupied the territory north 
of Nacogdoches, and west to the Neches Eiver. From 
them we purchased some cattle, and moved on as rapidly as 
possible to the Brazos. On our arrival everything looked 
lonesome and dreary. With depredations constantly going 
on in the west by the Mexicans, and on the north by the 
Indians, it required fortitude to stem the current. But God 
I believed had sent me and mine to Texas, and it would 
never do to run. The people made some corn, notwith- 
standing the runaway scrape, before alladed to. We had to 
move cautiously. We heard of continued threats of Mexi- 
can invasions. The Texas army remained in the field ; but 
there was very soon not a dollar in the military chest. The 
year 1836, although flushed with victory at San Jacinto, 
was a year of great trial for the Texas people. Numbers 
of our men were absent from their families nearly the entire 
year, either in the Texas nrmj, or west of the Trinity 
making a crop, while their families remained in the east. 
Indian depredations were now beginning in good earnest. 
Truly in every way it was a year of trial that the few 
living survivors have not forgotten. 

While travelling with my family in the month of Novem- 
ber, 1836, from the neighborhood of Wheelock to the 



52 FLOWEBS AND FBUITS. 

Falls, a young man by tlie name of Reed being our only 
company, we camped near a house a little off from the main 
road. Guns were all put in order, and my two little sons, 
aged thirteen and eleven years, and young Reed, were 
ordered to lie down with their shot-bags round their necks 
and tbeir gun4ocks under their blankets to keep the powder 
dry. At that day we used flint and steel locks exclusively. 
About eleven o'clock at night, the Indians, about one hun- 
dred and fifty in number, approached our camp. Our faith- 
ful dogs raised the alarm, and on rising to our feet we dis- 
covered that the Indians were in close contact with the 
dogs. Every man and boy was ordered up, and with guns 
in hand, tw^o men and two boys soon stood on the opposite 
side of the fire from the Indians. Campers will all see at 
once the advantage gained by these tactics. The Indians 
were frightened when they saw the guns, and through the fire 
we could see them skulking away into a ravine close by. Of 
course there was no more sleeping done that night in our 
camp. Morning came, and the God of Jacob was praised 
for our deliverance. 

About eleven o'clock we were overtaken by a company of 
fifteen soldiers, most of them on foot, and on their way to 
the fort at the Falls. We gave them at noon all the pro- 
visions we had, for they were quite hungry. My little 
cliildren were greatly distressed as they saw these hungry 
soldiers devouring the last of our provisions. My feelings 
I will not attempt to describe. It was my duty, and, trust- 
ing in God and these soldiers, we travelled on in the even- 
ing as cheerfully as we could. They agreed to camp vv^ith 
us at night. The Indians we then knew were below, and 
between us and the settlements. Near the little Brazos our 
teams were all hobbled and staked, a fire built, and soon 



WAH. 53 

the soldiers were scattered through the adjoming woods in 
search of game. Their commissary stores, and ours too, 
were exhausted. One gun after another was fired ; the axe 
and water bucket had disappeared from our camp ; the noise 
of the axe was soon heard ; a tree fell ; and several turkeys 
were brought in, and a bucket of honey. All were too hun- 
gry to pick turkeys ; they were skinned, divided in two 
pieces, and hung on sticks before the fire. This was our 
first meal as a family without bread. Will it be the last ? 
The news was soon received that Harvey and his family, 
occupying the house near our last camp, were all killed by 
the Indians in the evening after we left. These were, with- 
out doubt, the same Indians that approached our camp the 
night before. We felt exceedingly sad after hearing the 
fate of the unfortunate family, but doubly gTateful to God 
in consequence of our escape on the previous night. 

These soldiers, with whom we had divided bread in the 
journey, and who, after eating bountifully of turkey and 
honey, sat cheerfully round the camp fire, treated us 
with marked courtesy and kindness. A majority of them 
well knew how to do it, because of their training in youth. 
Most of these were young men, who had come to Texas as 
forerunners of intelligent families, to spy out the country, 
and on their arrival entered into active sympathy with the 
cause of Texas, and greatly admired Sam. Houston. Here 
they were, making long marches and countermarches, and 
getting their living principally out of the woods. We oc- 
casionally saw at this time a number of the " Telegraph," 
the first permanent newspaper ever published in Texas. It 
was first issued from San Felipe, on the tenth of October, 
1835. During the Mexican invasion, it was forced to re- 
treat to Harrisburg, and issued but one number. It was 



54 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

there captured by the forces of Santa Anna. It, however, 
reappeared the following August at Columbia, and since 
that time to the present has been regularly issued. This 
paper was of great value to the government, and was one 
great instrument that led teeming thousands of emigrants 
to seek homes in Texas. Through this paper, which only 
reached us occasionally by private hands, we saw that 
Sam. Houston was inaugurated president of the Republic 
on the twenty-second day of October, 1836. Here we 
have his address, with these closing words : "It now 
becomes my duty to make a presentation of this sword, 
the emblem of my past office. I have worn it with some 
humble pretensions in defence of my country ; and should 
the danger of my country again call for my services, I ex- 
pect to resume it, and respond to that call, if needful, with 
my blood and my life." Fired by such sentiments as these, 
and from such a source, our company of soldiers seemed 
perfectly willing to fight and bear their own expenses. 

Before me lies an estimate of the population of Texas 
made in September, 1836 : — 

Anglo-Americans . . . 30,000 

Mexicans 3,470 

Indians . . . ... 14,200 

I must here be permitted to enter my protest against the 
correctness of this statement, so far at least as to the 
English-speaking population. There was at that time, as 
is usual in almost all new countries, a disposition to ex- 
aggeration. It was impossible then to take the census 
of this country, and I doubt exceedingly if the authori- 
ties would have been willing for the census at that time to 
have gone forth to the world under oath. During 1837 



WAit. 55 

and 1838 I travelled, as will be seen, over almost all the 
territory of Texas then inhabited by the Americans, and I 
have no idea there were over fifteen thousand white people 
in the countr3^ The number of Indians must have been 
greatly underrated in this statement. 

Eeaching the colony at the Falls, we found great ex- 
citement. There were six or eight families in the colony ; 
at the fort near by the camp were some thirty or forty 
soldiers. So soon as things were somewhat composed, we 
had an appointment for preaching. 

This was continued once a week, when I was at home, 
and circumstances would allow. We were frequently in- 
terfered with by reports that Indians were in the neighbor- 
hood. Rangers, who were kept out as spies, would very 
frequently come in and report smokes on the west side of 
the river answered b}^ smokes on the east. Indians had 
set times on the frontier to move south and do mischief; 
this was generally on or about the full moon. Travelling, 
as they usually did, in separate, small detachments, with 
points designated at which to meet, they would frequently 
kindle fires and throw piles of green moss from the trees 
on them, and in this way, in an open country like Texas, 
they could easily communicate with each other. Generally 
the rangers would detect their advance, and we were noti- 
fied, but not always. 

About the first of January, 1837, I was notified by the 
commander of the fort that the ammunition was almost 
exhausted ; that there were not five rounds to the man ; 
that the government had neither money nor lead. We 
were of course in imminent peril. This was our country, 
and our fight; and although it was painful under the circum- 
stances to leave my loved ones, exposed as they would be, 



56 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

my sense of duty to the land of my adoption required that 
I should go alone to the town of Washington, one hundred 
miles south on the Brazos River, in search of powder and 
lead, at my own charges. At this point the devil sorely 
tried me. The question was asked, "Now, sir, do you be- 
lieve the language of the Bible, from which you preached so 
earnestly to the people in the old town of Nacogdoches, 
just one year ago?" After a little season of meditation 
and prayer the language of my soul was sounded out audi- 
bly from my lips : " Yes, I believe, yet, that the wilderness 
of Texas will blossom as the rose, and the solitary places 
be made glad by the presence of the Lord ; " and I started. 

On my way down, travelling at one time thirty miles 
without seeing a human being, or even the habitation of 
man, ^y mind was active, and resolution firm, to preach 
whenever and wherever opportunities were ofiered. At 
Nashville I found six or eight families, and as I must 
tarry there a night I called the families together and 
preached. 

Arrived in the little town of Washington about sunset; 
met a man on a crutch ; inquired for the public house, and 
after he pointed it out he inquired if I were not a Baptist 
preacher. I replied that I bore the name of one in Ten- 
nessee, and would not deny it in Texas. He invited me 
to preach for them that night, to which I consented. This 
man proved afterward to be brother N. T. Byars, who 
preached for so many years as a pioneer Texas missionary. 
Appointment was made and filled. Everybody, we were 
told, turned out. The room obtained was filled, and many 
stood outside. This was the first sermon ever preached in 
the town. There were then three or four Baptists there, 
and of coarse they were greatly pleased to hear the sound 



WAR. 67 

of a Baptist preacher's voice. I retired to rest as soon as 
I could, having travelled entirely alone, along crooked 
Indian trails, one hundred and twenty miles in two days, 
and preached each night. 

In every store in the town I inquired next morning for 
powder and lead. One keg of lead was found, but no 
powder. As much lead as was thought to be safe was put 
into my saddle-bags. Several bars were bent, a strihg run 
through them, and balanced on the horn of the saddle. 
The way selected to return was by Independence. It 
looked more like dependence then than independence. 
Such was the appearance of all our towns. I soon reached 
the Yegua bottom, — not a very interesting place then, nor 
now, when the stream is swollen. This is one part of 
Texas, accordiug to the writer's opinion, that has made 
very little improvement, though it be under the shadow of 
Baylor University. The stream was swimming, for about 
thirty feet, in the main channel — the whole bottom, nearly 
three miles wide, was a sea of water — no bridge — the 
horse was still able to go sixty miles a day, and must carry 
me by Jackson's store and to Nashville that day. He 
carried me over safely with the load of lead. 

Jackson's store was reached late in the evening, within 
eight miles of Nashville. Weary and hungry and im- 
patient, I entered the store and asked for powder. Some 
had just been received by a wagon from Columbia. Men 
were then crowded in the room, who had engaged all the 
powder, and paid the money in advance, previous to its 
arrival. After some threats made on both sides of the 
question — a description given of the condition at the 
Falls — my long trip — shivering then in my cold, wet 
clothing, six canisters of powder were received and paid 



58 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

for, and I was at home on the fourth night. Rode the 
same horse two hundred and forty miles inside of four 
da3^s. Tiie soldiers, on receiving the powder and lead, were 
in fine spirits. There was no danger of starvation with 
plenty of ammunition, and hopes were entertained that the 
Indians could now be held in check. 

There were no Baptists at the Falls, except myself, wife 
ard daughter. Cut off thus from all communication with 
churches or ministers, the situation was by no means a 
pleasant one. It was thirty miles to the nearest settlement 
on Little River. A few families were at Parker's Fort, 
thirty-five miles distant, near the present locality of Spring- 
field. It was unnecessar}^ to make appointments at these 
places, with any prospect of filling them. Thus cut off", I 
did what I could for the spiritual welfare of those by whom 
I was immediately surrounded. 



CHAPTEE V. 



AN EMERGENCY. IN 1837. 




UR Indian troubles increased rapidly towards the 
close of 1836 and the beginning of 1837. About 
the first of February, 1837, a light snow covered 
the eart^. This was rather remarkable then, and 
presented quite a contrast with the former season. The 
spies from the two forts at the Falls, and on Little 
River, met every day on middle ground. Reports were 
given, at both places, that the trail between the forts had 
been crossed by Indians going south-east toward Elm 
Creek. All the sign that had been discovered made the 
impression that it was only a small party on a thieving 
expedition, ^bout fifteen men under Lieutenant Errath, 
some from each fort, met at the point where the Indians 
crossed, and followed the trail almost to the mouth of Elm 
Creek. ) Here suddenly a number of trails came together, 
showing evidently that the Indians were not few but many. 
They had up to this point been travelling in detachments, 
and it was one of these small companies whose sign had 
been discovered between the forts. -From an elevation the 
rangers saw the smokes from camp-fires in the bottom. 
The few, however, under this brave lieutenant determined 
to attack the many. The horses were tied some distance 
out, and the fifteen men, at great peril, under cover of the 
night, cautiously approached the camp. Arriving at the point 

59 



60 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

before day, they took shelter under, the bank of the creek 
withhi thirty feet of the fires, and waited for the morning. 
Strange to say, the dogs of the Indians, watchful as they 
are, did not discover the Americans. Daylight streaked 
the east, and the Indians began to rise from their beds and 
stand about the fires. The officer had divided his men into 
squads of three or four, and ordered them to shoot at dif- 
ferent fires, and to be certain that no two men were to 
shoot at the same Indian. Just as the last Indians were 
huddliug round the fires, the dogs made the discovery, and 
directed attention to the spot where the rangers lay con- 
cealed. The command was given to fire. A number of 
Indians fell at every camp-fire, and there was a general 
stampede among the survivors. Every gun was now 
empty, and the Indians were thought to be about one hun- 
dred and fifty strong. Discovering that the rangers were 
few, they soon rallied, and the fight became a desperate 
one. Lieut. G-eorge Errath ordered a retreat. He kept 
himself in the rear as the men were getting out. Brave 
officers are usually in front in the charge and in the rear on 
a retreat. 1; Two of the men were killed on getting out of 
the ravine, — Frank CMMress and another whose name is 
not remembered.} A large number of the Indians had guns. 
Some fort}^ or fifty balls were afterwards found in the tree 
at the point where the rangers first showed themselves ris- 
ing from the ravine. Indians were now pressing them 
closely. Lieut. Errath was on one side of the ravine and 
a large Indian on the other ; both their guns empty and 
both loading, glancing at each other. Errath took no time 
to measure his powder, poured down a handful. Both 
raised their guns about the same time ; both fell. The In- 
dian was dead ; Errath instantly rose to his feet. A 



AN EMERGENCY. 61 

ranger cried, "George, are you hurt?" Errath, a German 
by birth, replied, " No, I ish not hurt ; my gun knocks 
down before and behind." His gun had kicked him down. 
Thirteen American rangers escaped, (X^hildress was not 
killed dead on the field, but was afterwards found, with his 
gun, sitting by a tree a little way off, and his body resting 
against the same tree lifeless. The other man was scalped, 
and his hands cut off. The Indians buried their dead in a 
pond of water and fled. They were pursued, but not over- 
taken. I make this statement upoii the authority of the 
men on their return. 

But for this engagement, this large body of Indians 
would very soon have been in the settlements below, kill- 
ing, burning, and stealing ; for they never came down in 
such large numbers in those days without desperate ends 
in view. It was believed to be the same body of Indians 
that killed poor Harvey and his family, during the month 
of November preceding ; and, also, the same that ap- 
proached the camp where I and my family lay close by 
Harvey's, the night previous to his murder. 

Now I felt a thousand times paid for my long ride to 
"Washington, amid so much exposure and anxietj^. This 
work was done with tlie ammunition that I procured while 
on that trip. But I greatly lamented, in the end, the loss 
of the noble son of my dear sister Childress^ He was, in- 
deed, a promising boy, about eighteen years of age ; was 
not a member of the company of rangers, but, as a citizen, 
volunteered his services for the trip. 

It was now time to commence farming. Facilities for 
this were very poor. Calling to mind the events of the 
past few weeks,* the reader will readily understand that I 
had the good-will of all the soldiers in the fort. We were 



C2 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

living on the west side of the river ; our little twenty-five 
acre rented field was on the east side. During most of the 
season the horses and oxen had to swim the river twice a 
day. We crossed in a canoe. The rangers stood guard 
for* us, free of charge, while the hands were planting and 
cultivating the crop. After i^lanting the little rented field, 
that was under fence, we went back further, on to Weed 
prairie, and planted about fifty acres with no fence. This 
land, with the little work we were able in primitive style to 
give it, made fifty bushels of corn to the acre. Portions 
of this prairie were cultivated for eighteen consecutive 
3^ears, without fence, with nothing to disturb the corn much 
except the wild bear. The few cattle that were in the 
country went back on the prairies, during the crop season, 
into the higher lands. 

While we were rejoicing at the prospects of the first 
Texas crop we had ever cultivated, the Indians were again 
back, and in various quarters committing depredations. 
Again I was informed by the captain commanding the post 
that the ammunition was almost out, and that all their 
stores of every kind were very short. 

The financial condition of the country was truty dis- 
tressing at this period. About a half million was now due 
for supplies, a half million due the army and navy, and a 
hundred thousand dollars due on the civil list, and not a 
dollar to pay for anything. Near a million and a quarter 
of indebtedness hung over us. The families and the forts 
on the frontier had either to join hands, and farm and fight 
together, at their own charges, or fall back, leaving the 
people in the settlements below to be the extreme frontier 
on the north. Ours was the extreme northern fort at that 
time. I had in my possession about two thousand dollars, 



JJSr EMERGENCY. 63 

realized from lands sold in Mississippi, with which I 
expected to support my family in extreme emergencies. 
The officer above alluded to informed me secretly, as he 
did on the former occasion, of the true situation ; saying 
that " secrecy was safety," and appealing at the same time 
for aid, if in my power to afford it. 

Our family stores, hauled by ox-teams from Nachitoches,- 
a distance of three hundred miles, were about exhausted, 
from divisions with the sick among soldiers and citizens. 
Although it was regarded as a savage country, yet some 
traces were seen of early scriptural usage. We had " all 
things common." My supplies for the year would as a 
consequence be gone by April. The advertisements in the 
" Telegraph '' showed that supplies might be obtained in 
Houston, about one hundred and sixty miles off. We 
determined in this great emergency, then about the 18th of 
March, 1837, to attempt the trip with an ox-team, with the 
probability of being captured by the common enemy, and 
slain hy the way ; or, if permitted to return, with the proba- 
bilit}^ of finding m}^ little log cabin in ashes and my family 
having shared the fate of Harvey's, before alluded to. 

Now, reader, I'll suppose you are comfortably seated on 
cushions, and by a warm fire, on one of those cold days in 
March that now sometimes are met with in Texas ; that one 
of those splendid coaches, that is carried by the iron-clad, 
bellowing horse, in which you sit, is standing at Kosse, on 
the Central Texas track, just opposite and about sixteen 
miles from my log cabin in 1837, and bound for a trip to 
Houston and back, three hundred miles, in fifteen hours ; 
and compare 3^our prospects for getting supplies from 
Houston and mine thirty-five years ago. Two whistles, the 
bell rings, and you are off; my oxen, eight in number, yoked 



64 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

and bound with chains to a wagon that would bear five 
thousand pounds, my little son twelve years of age the 
driver, and with two horses, I am off. The road we 
travelled led us right along near the present Houston and 
Texas Central Railroad track. We camped on the ground 
now occupied by the city of Bryan, and within a few yards 
of brother W. B. Eaves' shop. Eight there my horses were 
both stolen. Spent one day in pursuit, recovered one 
horse, bought another, and w^ent on. The thief, I am 
sorry to say, was a Texan, Look out now, through the 
window, as the wheels of thunder underneath you are 
rolling over that magnificent bridge, that spans with its 
mighty arms the Kavasota River, and take a look at my 
craft, crossing about one hundred yards above. The stream 
was very high, nearly level with the banks ; water in the 
bottom almost swimming, before we reached it. We were 
soon through this, and on the bank of the main channel. 
My little son was greatly discouraged. " Pa, what are you 
going to do?" came out in trembling accents. " You said 
when we got here we would get something to eat ; we have 
had no bread since yesterday ; there is no boat, no canoe. 
Our skillet is lost, and we can't even get a place dr}^ enough 
to bake an ash cake." Poor boy, this trial, the hardships 
endured before, and those to come after on this trip and 
others, were preparing him for the hardships of the Mexi- 
can war in 1845, and for the successes in business that 
awaited him in California, where he died in 1860. 

A block ten inches wide was soon hewed out from an asli- 
tree, and an old-fashioned "johnny-cake" baked before the 
fire, some meat broiled, coffee made, and father and son 
were merrily chatting, after a hearty meal. 

I now cried at the top of my voice, to gain the attention 



AN EMERGENCY. 65 

of the man who, I was iDformed, lived on the hill on the 
south side. An answer was returned, and the man in quick 
time stood on the bank. " What will you have, sir?" — " I 
want a man to tie a rawhide lariat round that stump near 
where you stand, and the other end and an inch-auger 
brought to me, and all the assistance necessary to enable 
me to get my wagon and team over." Five dollars was an- 
nounced as the price for which he would undertake, and the 
trade was closed. The end of the lariat and the inch- 
auger were soon brought over. At great peril, logs were 
cut of proper length, hauled up, and fastened securely 
together. On this little craft my son and I placed our camp 
equipage, and pulled across the river by the lariat, fastened 
on each bank. The man left behind then loosed his end of 
the rope, and, after tying the bed of the wagon fast to the 
wheels, tied it to the end of the tongue. The wagon was 
pulled over, and the team swam. By this time our con- 
tractor, one of the best swimmers I ever saw, was on the 
home side and ready for another contract. He then en- 
gaged to dig a canoe, by our return, for live dollars more. 
Here was ten dollars for crossing the NavasosCa twice, 
with great labor and peril. All this was done inside of 
three hours, and we were on our way through the prairie, 
where the city of Navasota now stands. Nothing of 
Interest transpired till we reached Matthew Burnett's, 
about one mile below Cypress City. He was just from 
Houston that day, and stated to me that there was no 
lead there ; but informed me that Sam. Houston, on his 
retreat the year before to San Jacinto, had left a pig of 
lead, weighing seventy-five pounds, that was then under his 
house, and that I could get it on my return. Houston was 
reached late Saturday evening, after swimming the team 
5 



66 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

over Buffalo bayou, just opposite Main Street, as the city is 
now laid out. No bridge nor ferry-boat then. There was 
a little flat boat that carried over a single horse or empty 
wagon. 

Houston, in 1837, was a city of tents ; only one or two 
log-cabins appeared. John K. Allen's framed building 
was raised, covered, and partly weather-boarded. A large 
amount of goods in tents. A large round tent, resembling 
the enclosure of a circus, was used for a drinking saloon. 
Plenty of " John Barley Corn" and cigars. This was the 
last Sunday in March, and after changing the garb of the 
wagoner for one similar to that worn in the city, I went out 
in search of a place to preach. Upon inquiry I was 
informed that there never had been a sermon preached in 
the place. It was quite a novel thing then to hear preach- 
ing, and some, to enjoy the novelty, and some no doubt 
with the purest motives, went to work, and very soon seats 
were prepared in a cool shade on that beautiful spring- 
morning. The sermon was preached to an attentive, intel- 
ligent audience. Brother Marsh, a Baptist minister from 
Mississippi, then about seventy years old, came forward by 
request and closed the service. From near the spot where 
I then stood is now issued the Texas Baptist " Herald," send- 
ing streams of light over a vast territory, and around that 
spot has gathered a city of eighteen thousand inhabitants, 
destined to assume much larger proportions yet, in conse- 
quence of the fact that it is the great railroad centre of 
the State. 

Monday morning ammunition was sought for in every 
store. Purchased two kegs of powder. No lead to be 
had. Family supplies and some additional articles for the 
soldiers were procured, and as rapidly as an ox-team, 



'an emergency. ' 67 

heavily loaded, conld carry us, we made our way towards 
home. At Burnett's, we took in the pig of lead, a very 
valuable article .at that time. Reaching Navasota, we 
found the canoe ready, according to contract, and paid five 
dollars for it ; also five dollars additional were paid to the 
same man for assistance rendered in getting wagon, team, 
and cargo across the river. Here, you will remember, 
fifteen dollars have been paid for ferriage, going and 
coming, over one stream. Texans would do well to bear 
this in mind, among the charges they so often prefer 
against the company that drives the iron horse, with his 
huge trains of carriages, and in such quick time brings 
their supplies. On reaching the present locality of Bryan, 
my other stolen horse was found, and twenty-five dollars* 
rew-ard paid for that. When we reached the eastern bank 
of the Brazos, opposite our log cabin and the soldiers' fort 
on the west, and announced across the river that we had 
powder, lead and commissary stores, hats were waved, and 
as loud a shout was raised as would have been during the 
late war on the arrival of a seventy-four gun ship in some 
^eat emergency. 



CHAPTEE VI. 

LIGHT AHEAD. 1837. 

(3^[r^IFE then as now was a mixture of joys and sorrows. 
^\ The little colonies here and there were frequently 

z^*"^^ greatly elated, catching eagerly at every little ray of 
light that made their prospects even tolerable. 0ft- 
ener, however, gloom hung over the camp. From north, east 
and west, rumors reached us of Indian outrages, that made 
our blood chill sometimes with fear, and then by turns boil 
with feelings of furious revenge. While rejoicing with the 
family and soldiers over our safe return from Houston, and 
the bountiful supplies for a few months at least, news 
reached us that the little daughter of Harvey, whose sad 
fate has been recorded, was alive in Mexico, and a negro 
girl whose life was spared by the Indians in the midst of 
the same massacre. Great anxiety was felt by us all for 
the rescue of the child. 

Her uncle, James Talbert, was then living in Alabama. 
After long search and a large expenditure of money, this 
brother in Christ found the child. She had been sold by the 
Indians, and was now greatly attached to its Mexican mother. 
Her arm had been broken during the killing of her parents. 
She was carried by the uncle to Alabama, and by him was 
afterwards brought to Texas. They settled near where her 
parents were killed. She has since married, and when re- 
cently heard from was living. I have often since been at 
her house and used the family Bible at worship owned by 



LIGHT AHEAD. 69 

her father, and which jQt has upon its pages the blood of 
her parents, spilled by the hands" of the Indians on that 
fearful night. 

Our opportunities for preaching were very limited. Our 
crop was cultivated in 1837 under a guard of soldiers. In 
a short time I ventured down to Nashville, forty-five miles 
down the river, and all the people in the settlement that 
could, turned out to preaching in a little log cabin, with 
dirt floor. Just about the time we closed the services on 
Sunday, the Indians dashed upon us and killed two men, in 
sight of the congregation. Preacher and people carried 
carnal weapons with them to the house of God in those 
days, and did not for a moment suppose they were violating 
the Scriptures. We instantly changed the services into war 
with the Indians. Every man was immediately mounted 
and off with gun in hand on Sunday evening, in full pursuit 
of the Indians. They were not overtaken, but escaped up 
Little River. 

Now please remember my situation on the return from 
this pursuit. The relatives of the dead are in tears, and at 
their request I must stay and perform the funeral services. 
The Indians had gone towards my home and loved ones, 
apparently intending to bear a little to the left ; but we 
never could tell where an Indian would turi^i up next. 
Duties to the bereaved being performed, and the dead 
buried out of their sight, I resolved to go home, if God 
would spare my life, under cover of the night. Forty-five 
miles to ride alone in the night, with a knowledge of the 
fact before me that the Indians were above and between 
me and my home, and that I was liable to be attacked at 
any moment. Tliis state of things presented a strong 
temptation. On my way in the night, and at the crossing 



70 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

of Little River, the tempter came, and his speech was as 
follows : " Where is your faith now? You had better ac- 
cede to the propositions of your very liberal brethren in 
Tennessee and Mississippi, even if you die, than undergo 
such hardships by day and by night. The Indians will 
certainly get jou yet, either on this trip or some other." 
By this plausible story I felt for the time being influencedj 
and there was a little wavering. God, I thought, certainly 
had made it plainly my duty to live and labor in Texas, 
and, with prayer for divine aid, my mind dwelt upon the de- 
liverances of old, and was greatly strengthened. God sent 
an angel to provide food for Elijah, under the juniper-tree, 
when he had despaired and was willing to die, and sent fire 
to consume the offering in the presence of the prophets of 
Baal. He also put it into the heart of Rahab the harlot to 
conceal the spies while examining the cit}^ of Jericho and its 
fortifications, and finally caused its walls to tumble down at 
the sound of the rams' horns, leading Israel safely into the 
promised land of Caanan. Amidst these meditations I 
could but say, " My heart is fixed." God gave me an inward 
token that I should be concealed from the Indian's watch- 
ful eye, and that he would recognize my off'erings in years 
to come. The wilderness would yet blossom as the rose. 
In safety about daylight I reached my home and loved 
ones, and found all well. 

The supplies procured in Houston, on my former trip, 
were about exhausted in May, and it was necessary for 
me to return with ia\y wagon to the city. There was 
neither gold nor silver in circulation then. Texas did not 
have a supply of "red-backs," as was afterwards the case. 
Our currency consisted of paper from the banks. of the 
older States. On my arrival in Houston I found business 



LIGHT AHEAD. 71 

stagnant, in consequence of the failures ou the part of the 
banks referred to. My money on hand was all declared 
worthless, or nearly so, and three-fourths of the people in 
the State were in my condition. The first of June I was 
in the city of New Orleans, and walked the streets of the 
Crescent City for fourteen consecutive days, trying to make 
negotiations. It was then, with many of us, a bread and 
meat question. I was introduced to some gentlemen in 
debt to the banks, and succeeded in exchanging my bills 
for goods, at about sixty cents on the dollar. I had not 
come to Texas to sell goods ; but, to save the little means 
left, I found myself unavoidably drifting into merchandise. 
As rapidly as possible I made my way to Houston with the 
goods that had been secured. 

On my arrival letters were received from home, giving 
information that the Indians and Mexicans, about the 
middle of June, had overpowered the fort at the Falls, 
and had killed Coryell, one of the rangers. My family had 
been run from home, and were at Nashville, forty-five miles 
down the river. My wagons were from home, and nearly 
everything, in the way of provisions and household furni- 
ture, had fallen into the enemy's hands. Truly it seemed 
that all my misfortunes were coming upon me at once. 
God be praised, however, my wife and children lived. My 
goods were stored in Houston, except two wagon-loads that 
were carried to Washington as soon as possible. My fam- 
ily was brought to Washington, and we were soon in busi- 
ness, trying to recuperate after so much loss. The best 
crop I ever made was all lost, our household furniture and 
farming tools all captured, and about a thousand dollars 
lost in the failure of the banks. The goods were all sold 
out as rapidly as they could be brought from Houston. 



72 FLOV/EES AND FRUITS. 

DuriDg this time a prayer-meeting was organized at 
Washington, and we found present t;he following Baptists 
to take part : H. R. Cartwell, a deacon from the Baptist 
church at Nashville, Tennessee ; A. Bufflngton and wife, 
and N. T. Bj^ars ; also Richard Ellis and brother Jenkins. 
These, with my own family at Washington, brother Jesse 
Webb, living near the present locality of Calvert, sister 
Childress, at Nashville, and sister Hall, near where Chap- 
pell Hill now stands, were all the Baptists I then knew. 
There was an organization of some ten or twelve members 
east of the Trinity, near Nacogdoches, under the pastoral 
care of Daniel Parker, of "two-seed" notoriety. There 
was also an organization calling themselves " Primitive 
Baptists," on the Colorado River, twelve miles below Bas- 
trop, and under the pastoral care of Abner Smith. Elder 
Isaac Crunch was a member of this body. This brother, 
sound in the faith, and of more than ordinary ability as a 
preacher, <tfterwards moved to Nashville, and in the spring 
of 1836, if I remember correctly, was killed by the In- 
dians, about a mile and a half from the present locality of 
the Little River Baptist church, in Milam County. I was 
well acquainied with brother Crouch, when he was the 
Moderator of tne Big Hatchie Association, in Tennessee, 
and Avas with him five years before at the association, when 
held with Mount Pleasant church, twelve miles south 
of Boliver, Hardiman County. This association, at that 
time, was largely anti-missionary. In 1825, Elder Joseph 
Bays preached at the house of Moses Shipman, west of the 
Brazos River. He afterwards moved into Eastern Texas, 
and labored in the vicinity of San Augustine, where he 
met with violent opposition on the part of the authorities, 
and was for some time greatly hindered in his work. In 



LIGHT AHEAD. 73 

1829, Elder Thomas Hanks preached in the house of Moses 
Shipman, before mentioned, under whose ministry the wife 
of James Allcorn, a deacon, made a profession of religion. 
This was the first conversion we have any knowledge of. 
Brother Hanks was from Tennessee, where the writer knew 
him well, having labored much with him in my early min- 
istry. During the same year, the Baptists organized the 
first Sunday school in Texas, with brother T. J. Pilgrim, 
now living at Gonzales, as superintendent. Baptists have 
often been charged with indiflerence about the spiritual 
welfare of children and youth, because they refuse to have 
their children sprinkled. Their interest in the Sunday- 
school cause in Texas, and elsewhere, is a sufficient defence 
against this charge. There was, sometime previous to the 
declaration of Texas independence, a pious sister, living 
near, Gonzales, named Echols, who was a devoted Baptist, 
and loved her Bible dearly. The Mexican government was 
under Catholic rule, and, of course, the Bible was pro- 
hibited from the people ; severe penalties were annexed. 
This sister, on one occasion, seeing the Mexican justice 
approaching, was tempted to conceal her Bible, that was 
then open by her side. Committing her way to God, she 
reconsidered the matter, and determined to risk the conse- 
quences. Witnessing her devotion to the book of God, 
his heart failed him, and he allowed her to keep it and 
enjoy it. There was, also, sister Mercer, the vrife of Eli 
Mercer, living east of the Colorado, fifteen miles above 
Wharton. Dr. Marsh, a Baptist minister, advanced in age, 
alluded to as closing the services after my first sermon in 
Houston, settled on the San Jacinto, and afterwards re- 
turned to Mississippi and died. This, according to m^ 
recollection, embraces all the Baptists in Texas up to 1837. 



74 FLOWERS AND FRUITS . 

In May, 1837, on my second trip to Houston, a " Com- 
mittee of Vigilance " was organized, consisting of the fol- 
lowing ministers : Dr. Marsh, Baptist, Dr. Smith, Protes- 
tnnt Methodist, Rev. ^Y. W. Hall, Presbyterian, Rev. L. L. 
Allen, Episcopal Methodist, Rev. H. Mathews, Episcopal 
Methodist, and Z. N. Morrell, Baptist. The object of this 
committee was to prevent impostors from securing the con- 
fidence of the people, in the exercise of ministerial functions. 
A notice of this organization, with an address to all min- 
isters coming to Texas, was published in the " Telegraph." 
After this no minister was recognized by any of us, until he 
exhibited unmistakable credentials of authority from his 
denomination. The effect was very beneficial to the cause 
of religion in the republic. 

The circumstances that gave rise to this organization 
were as follows : An impostor, a short time before, came to 
the town of Washington, in my absence, and preached un- 
der Baptist colors. He represented himself as sadly in 
need of pecuniary assistance. Some person kindly circu- 
lated a subscription, which procured the amount of funds 
called for. He was soon seen at the grocery, and then on 
the race-track, as one of the standard-bearers of that 
immense number of sportsmen that gathered about the 
town of Washington. I would be glad to know that every 
Baptist pastor in Texas at the present time considered 
himself as a member of a Vigilance Committee. An impos- 
tor, if he succeed, is a great curse in an}^ community, and 
should be persistently^ ruled out. Impositions have been 
practised in Texas since 1837, and may, in the future, with- 
out great care. 'No pastor should allow a man in his pulpit 
until he gives clear evidence of his right. He who takes 
offence because his papers are demanded, is, to say the 



LIGHT AHEAD. 75 

least, a suspicious character. Ministers are required to be 
" of good report among them that are without," and where 
there is the smallest ground for suspicion, whether on account 
of being a stranger or otherwise, an opportunity will be given 
by such investigation for a good man to set himself in order 
before the people. Good men, as preachers, have often 
been seriously injured because this course was not rigidly 
pursued. 

The finances of the government were now in a very 
deplorable condition. General Houston, desirous of incur- 
ring as little other indebtedness as possible, was anxious to 
discharge a large part of the Texan army. Having nothing 
to pay them in that event, he resolved to follow the pre- 
cedent laid at the close of the revolution of 1776, and fur- 
loughed a large number ; it was supposed about two-thirds. 
Those who had families in Texas quietl}^ repaired to their 
homes, and entered upon the common avocations of life. 
There was another class of these soldiers, with whom we 
sympathized greatly, and yet they proved a terror to good 
society. They were principally young men of the very first 
families of the United States, mostly from Tennessee, on 
account of the popularity of Sam. Houston, once the 
honored Governor of the old State, then President of the 
" Lone Star Republic." They were young men deeply im- 
bued with that spirit of patriotism that fired the hearts of 
the fathers of 1776. They had nt)w served in the Texas 
army for several months ; there was not a dollar with which 
to pay them for service rendered ; their clothing was worn 
to tatters ; they had not been accustomed to labor, and 
were now a great way from home, and all their available 
means consisted of land certificates and bounty claims on 
the infant republic. Large bands of them were among us, 



76 FLOJVERS AND FP.VITS. 

fit subjects for every species of dissipation. The great 
dreamer, John Bunyan, verj^ truly said that " an idle brain 
was the devil's workshop." The sequel v/ill show whether 
this be true or not. 

Our weekly prayer-meeting was regularly held in the 
town of Washington, in a small house, the best we could 
secure. These young men referred to, regularly attended ; 
behavior was good; were very polite, and sang elegantly all 
the parts of music. The}^ had been trained to this in other 
States, under pious influences. A stranger present would 
have supposed that a whole church, well-organized and 
drilled in some of the old States, had moved in a body and 
settled at Washington. Cartmell, BufEngton, B3^ars, Ellis. 
and Morrell, one after another, led in praj-er, and the sing- 
ing between prayers was of the very first order, in point of 
time and melody. The writer would give out an appoint- 
ment for preaching every Sunday, when at home, and after 
singing "Old Hundred" the congregation would retire. 
After the benediction the young men would hasten away. 
By the time we would pass on our way home, the grocery 
and billiard-saloon would be lighted up, and a large crowd 
— God have mercy on them ! — would be assembled for the 
night. Here was an important move of the prince of dark- 
ness, — his image and sign hanging over the door. There 
was King John Barleycorn within, double-refined, with all 
his machinery propelled by the engine of hell, fed with the 
fire of damnation, drawn directly from the " bottomless 
pit " of eternal perdition. It did not require the foresight 
of a prophet to understand the results of this procedure, 
on the part of the enemy, if continued long. Our prayers 
went up to God, "O Lord, hear the prayers of thy ser- 



LIGHT AHEAD. 77 

vants, and the praj^ers of mothers, in distant lands, for 
these wayward sons ! " 

We determined, let come what might, to organize a 
church. The day was appointed, and eight Baptists as- 
sembled to keep house for God. Brother H. R. Cartmell 
was recognized as deacon, and Z. N. Morrell chosen as 
pastor. Thus sprung into existence the first church, ac- 
cording to ni3^ information, that was ever organized in 
Texas on strictly gospel principles, having the ordinances 
and officers of ancient order, and with no anti-missionary 
element in its body. Shall we be permitted by the enemy 
to remain together, and enjoy church privileges ? We had 
long desired such an estate. Shall the present organiza- 
tion stand, as the nucleus around which others will grow 
up? This we fondly hoped. Or shall the fe'eble light in 
the wilderness be blown out, and require resuscitation? 
Such questions, in those troublous times, revolved in our 
minds. We must wait and see. 

A committee, consisting of J. R. Jenkins, A. Buffington, 
and H. R. Cartmell, was appointed to correspond with the 
mission boards, north and east, and request that Texas be 
taken into consideration as a missionary field. An ap- 
pointment was soon tendered to me from the American 
Board. Good reasons, at the time, were between me and 
the acceptance of this proposition. The correspondence 
was continued, and the result was, that Elder Wm. Trj^on 
was sent to Washington County, and Elder James Huckins 
to Galveston. These brethren did not come for several 
years after this correspondence was commenced. Of them 
we will speak again at the proper time and place. 

Measures were at once taken, by the infant church, to 
build a house of worship. The money was subscribed, the 



78 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

material was secured, the building and the work went 
rapidly forward towards its completion. 

In the fall of 1837, some families were passing through 
the town of Washington, on their way to Gonzales, who 
had left during the retreat the previous year. Among 
them was a very intelligent couple, who requested, at m}^ 
hands, the performance of the marriage ceremony. This 
was the first time I solemnized the holy rite in Texas. 

I was much interested, as they related the existence of 
their long engagement, and their unwillingness to be mar- 
ried by a Catholic priest, according to Mexican law. They 
had i)atiently waited till the congress of Texas passed 
laws, and marriage license could be issued by authority of 
the republic. 

Previous to the independence of Texas, marriage was 
illegal, performed by any save a priest. Catholic priests 
were very offensive to Texans, and for the performance ot 
the ceremony they exacted twenty-five dollars. Many 
refused to submit, and, in some such cases, the parties 
simply signed a bond in the presence of witnesses, and 
became husband and wife. 

The congress ver}^ soon passed a law allowing these 
parties to take out license in due form, and be married by 
a proper officer. When the license and bond were re- 
turned, with the certificate of the officer performing the 
ceremony, the marriage was legal. 

I was called on frequently afterwards to officiate in such 
cases, and, in a few instances, a group of little children 
were witnesses for their parents. In one instance, imme- 
diately after preaching, I performed a ceremony in the 
presence of the congregation, the parties each holding a 
child in their arms. 



CHAPTEE VII. 

FIRST FRUITS IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS. 1838. 



# 



OD has determined that his saints shall come up to 
him '' out of great tribulation, having washed 
their robes and made them white in the blood of 
the Lamb." In keeping with his general providence it 
seemed to him necessary that the early Christians of Texas 
should be sorely tried. Such was the experience of the 
brethren composing the little church. 

The furioughed soldiers, without any employment, were 
daily becoming more dissipated and desperate. It required 
all the ingenuity of General Houston to retain them in the 
country, and prevent discouragements on every hand. A 
fine opportunity now offered itself for the display of that 
generalship that has rendered his name immortal. Threats 
were about this time made by Santa Anna, that the Texan 
rebels should be driven out, and that the flag of Mexico 
should be planted on the Sabine. He threatened, also, re- 
taliation upon the authorities that had encouraged the im- 
migration of the young men above referred to. These 
threats reached President Houston just at the time to 
answer his purposes best. He deliberated a day or two, 
and dipping his pen into an inkstand richly tinctured with 
sarcasm, that he always kept on hand, he wrote Santa 
Anna a letter through the public press. The substance of 
the letter was,, that Santa Anna, his former prisoner, would 

79 



80 • FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

accommodate him very much if he v/ould concentrate the flower 
of the Mexican army in large numbers, mounted on Mexico's 
best horses ; if he would drain the Mexican treasury in 
procuring a good outfit; and if he would draw largely 
upon the priests for money to meet the expenses of the 
campaign ; promising liim that if he would cross the Rio 
Grande with his army, the Texans would wipe it out 
of existence, and thus secure an outfit with which he 
would march the Texan army through Mexico, and plant the 
colors of the "Lone Star Republic" on the isthmus of 
Darien. 

General Houston cared more for the effect this letter 
would have on the furloughed soldiers than upon the man 
to whom it was addressed. Upon these men he must depend 
to meet and repulse the Mexican raiding parties that he ex- 
pected would harass the country in connection with the 
Indians. This communication was a fine feast for our 
Washington gentlemen, and they stood ready for the emer- 
gency, at their own expense. While their admiration for 
Texas and Sam. Houston was being fired, their morals 
were being daily corrupted. The plainest evidences of the 
fact now became manifest to all. 

Our meetings on Sunday were very regularly kept up, and 
the prayer-meetings continued. 

About midway between my residence and the little house 
of worship, and about sixty yards from each place, in the 
jjrincipal grocery in town, an opposition prayer-meeting 
was organized. At first they did not interfere with our 
meeting. All the crowd would attend ours, and imme- 
diately after it was closed they would gather in the grocery, 
and the leader of the band would open in due form. Our 
services were imitated to the -best of their ability. Our 



FIRST FRUITS IN THE MIDST OF TRIAL. , 81 

names, who led in public prayer, were called at the grocery 
with a loud, clear voice, and parties there responded with 
prayers and exhortations. Under this trial the tempter 
sorely distressed me ; sometimes with a spirit like tliat of 
Peter when he smote off the servant's ear ; sometimes with 
misgivings ; and sometimes with the pains of deep mortifi- 
cation and grief. Under all this, kept up regularly, during 
successive weeks, I resorted much to prayer around my 
family altar, and in secret. There was no law then that we 
could use to break down this great evil, that was so fear- 
fully contagious in its character. The bread and wine, 
emblems of a Saviour's love, were frequently administered 
by these mockers of God and religion, before the public 
gaze. The only consolation I could derive was that of 
which Paul spake in his letter to the Philippians. Christ 
was preached, whether sincerely or otherwise, and although 
they supposed " to add affliction to my bonds," I prayed 
that they might at last, in the midst of their mockery, be 
able to look through the mirror of the gospel, become 
alarmed, and repent. 

Those are fearful days for any people when an army is 
disbanded among them, whether that army has been suc- 
cessful or unsuccessful. Many citizens of this great na- 
tion can testify to the truth of this assertion, in more 
instances than one, from personal experience and observa- 
tion. . In the fall and winter of 1837, quite a change for 
the better came over the country. A large number of im- 
migrants came into the republic ; good crops had been 
made ; our financial condition was somewhat improved, 
and the laws passed by the congress were being put into 
execution to some extent. The 3^ear 1838 opened w^ith 
flattering prospects, compared with the past. The little 



82 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

town of WashiDgton was incorporated, and some imperfect 
police regulations were established, requiring a small taxa- 
tion of the citizens. All this, however, had but little effect 
at first to restrain idle soldiers that still hung around us. 
Gambling and drunkenness were carried to a fearful extent, 
in spite of all the restraints of our imperfect social organ- 
izations and civil regulations. 

Elder Robert Alexander, the first missionary from the 
Methodist Episcopal church south, had come to Washing- 
ton the previous year, and had preached on several occa- 
sions. Dr. Smith, a Protestant Methodist, had fallen in 
among us. Two Cumberland Presbyterian preachers ar- 
rived, — Roark and Andrew McG-owan. The latter I 
had met in the spring of 1836, on his way from the San 
Jacin1;o battle-field. From his messmates I had learned 
that he went through the campaign, and preserved his 
Christian integrity. In my opinion, then, and ever since, 
this is quite a recommendation to any man. 

These preachers were now present, intending to hold a 
protracted meeting. This was the first meeting of days 
ever held in the town, and it vras rather more than the 
fiends and mockers could willingly submit to. The house 
in which they proposed to hold the meeting was a vacated 
billiard-room on Main Street, with a long gallery in front. 
On the second night of the meeting there was a general 
attendance of the citizens, loafers and gamblers of the 
place. We soon discovered that the disturbers of our 
peace on former occasions were present, with the intention 
of interfering with the worship of the congregation, with- 
out the fear of God or man before their eyes. A man was 
stationed outside of the house, just behind where the 
preacher stood, with a hen in his arms. While the preacher 



FIRST FRUITS IN THE MIDST OF TRIAL. 83 

was lining out his hymn he would hold the chicken b}' the 
neck. When the congregation would sing he would make 
it squall. A large copper-colored negro man was stationed 
on the gallery in front, with some twenty or more of these 
lewd fellows around him, partly intoxicated. When the 
congregation sang and the hen squalled, the negro, acting 
under orders, would put his head in at the window and 
shout at the top of his voice, " Glory to God ! " The 
response from outside was given, "Amen and amen!" I 
was sitting near by the window from whence the disturb- 
ance came ; my wife and daughter were near b}' me. I 
arose and stood by the window with the walking- cane in 
my hand that I had brought from Tennessee, made of 
hickoiy, with a buck-horn head. My bosom heaved with 
holj' indignation, and as the negTO put his head into the win- 
dow the second time, as the congregation sang and the hen 
squalled, I struck him just above the left eye, making a 
scar that he carried to his grave. This band had always 
treated me with courtesy, yet it was clear to my mind that 
they intended to drive these preachers from the town, and 
I felt confident my time would come next. After the 
stroke with mj cane, they were peremptorily ordered away, 
with the statement that there were more dangerous weapons 
than the stick behind. It had been customary with us, 
since the Indians killed two of our men during religious 
service at Nashville the year before, to take om- weapons 
with us to church, as well as to other places. Some usually 
stood guard while others worshipped. There was no fur- 
ther disturbance of consequence untiL the services were 
over. The sermon was preached by Mr. Roark ; Mr. Alex- 
ander closed. 
Before the congregation was dismissed, I claimed the 



84 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

right to make a short but plain speech. In this speech I 
stated that I had often tendered my thanks to the people 
of the town for their politeness and good behavior in the 
house of God, — regretted that the thanks tendered on 
other occasions were not due on this. Before me are sons 
from the battle-field of San Jacinto, coming from the vari- 
ous parts of the United States. For what did yon traverse 
the prairies of the west, under the command of the gallant 
Houston ? And for what did j^ou charge the enemy's can- 
non and burn the bridges behind him, unless it was for 
civil and religious liberty? Santa Anna has been cap- 
tured, and priestcraft driven from the land ; and 3^et, in 
less than two years, you have commenced to pull down 
what you have built up by so much toil and sacrifice. We 
are determined, as ministers of the gospel, that we will not 
be run out of Texas, nor out of this town. For one I can 
say, let Texas rise or fall, live or die, her fate shall be 
mine ; and I believe God will yet overrule all this to his 
glory. I have looked for something in the Scriptures to 
justify my hasty conduct on this occasion. The Saviour, 
driving the thieves from the temple, is the nearest I can 
find. In this case the house of God was made the house 
of mockery. 

After the congregation was dismissed, fears were enter- 
tained by my friends for my personal safety. The band of 
mockers hung round the door to the last. Col. Matthew 
Caldwell, who, at the head of his command, distinguished 
himself on so many hard-fought battle-grounds against 
both Mexicans and Indians, was present with his family 
on this occasion. He stopped at the door before passing 
out, and addressed the miserable crew: "Gentlemen, I 
have a wife and daughters here, as well as Mr. Morrell, 



FIRST FEU ITS IJi THE MIDST OF TRIAL. 85 

and this state of things shall be broken up. If there is any 
fighting to be done, you can put me down on the side of 
civilization and religious liberty." No violence was at- 
tempted upon any of us ; but quite a crowd of these men 
followed close upon the heels of the preachers, as they 
retired, and barked at them like dogs. 

A feeling of righteous indignation was felt in the -bosom 
of every worthy citizen of the place, and the community 
was called together the next morning, at the instance of 
Col. Caldwell. At this meeting, and in the presence of 
these ministers, that had labored for us the previous even- 
ing, resolutions were offered and passed, condemning in 
severe terms the manifestations and interruptions of this 
wicked crew on former occasions, and strongly in favor of 
moralit}^ and social order. I have lived in Texas thirty-four 
years since then, and have witnessed no more such demon- 
strations. 

The meeting in the old billiard room continued for sev- 
eral days, without any molestation whatever. About the 
third or fourth day, one of the preachers informed me that 
they would be compelled to close the meeting and go home, 
as they only had means enough to pay their bills at the 
hotel, and to bear their expenses home. This was all pro- 
vided for in Texas style ; the horses were sent to grass, 
and after the bills at the hotel were paid the preachers were 
all provided for at private houses. Two considerations 
influenced us to urge the continuance of the meeting. One 
was the effect of the gospel upon the community at large ; 
and the other was, that the former disturbers of our peace 
might understand that preachers, under the law of God 
and the land, had a right to come and preach in the town 
of Washington, as long as it suited their inclination. At the 



86 t'LOWERS AND FRUITS. 

close of the meeting a contribution was made by the citi- 
zens, and an invitation extended to return as often as they 
could. 

These gamblers have some redeeming traits of character, 
which I will now illustrate by a single incident, which 
occurred shortly after the events just recorded. These 
troublesome characters were all sportsmen, and generally, 
wherever I met them then and since, would give liberally 
to any charitable object. 

A family came out to Texas in 1838, from one of the 
Northern States. The husband and father died with the 
yellow fever on the way from Houston to Washington. The 
widow, with four or five children, arrived in town, and noti- 
fied us that the money intended to pay the freight on their 
household goods was expended in providing for their sick, 
and in burying the deceased husband. Here was a case 
demanding the S3^mpathy and active aid of the servants of 
Christ. There were only a few Christian j)eople in the place 
at the time, and we needed more money than they were well 
able to give. Looking over the list, I found four Baptists, 
one Methodist, and one Presbyterian. Others had been 
there, but were not present that day. Two subscriptions 
were made out ; one to be circulated among the moral and 
religious men of the community, and one for that numerous 
band, that were on some occasions such a terror to us. Our 
issue made with them touching the public worship seemed 
to have created no alienation of feeling on their part. They 
met us and passed us as politely and kindly as ever. The 
king of the band was Captain James Cook, who had proved 
himself a man of great daring at the battle of San Jacinto. 
In a skirmish, previous to the main battle. Captain Cook's 
horse ran off with him, dashed through the Mexican lines, 



FIRST FRUITS IN THE MIDST OF TRIAL. 8< 

and was checked up behind the enemy's breastworks. He 
saw no chance to escape the dreaded Mexican prison but to 
charge back through the same lines. With all the dignity 
of a commanding general, he straightened himself in his 
stirrups, and ordered Celum, in hearing of both Mexicans 
and Texans, to " charge ! " A volley was fired, taking no 
effect upon the horse or his rider ; the line gave way, and the 
captain was soon with his command. The subscription was 
given to him, with the statement that his brethren were 
more numerous than ours, and that the widow was in great 
distress. Sixteen hundred dollars had been stolen from me 
the week before, and this I ventured to state to him was in 
the possession of some of his men. Giving this matter my 
personal attention, I only raised twenty dollars. Captain 
Cook raised eighty dollars in a very short time, and left it 
at the store, with his compliments to the poor widow and 
orphans, stating that if more was needed more could be had 
from the same source. He said further, addressing himself 
tome, "That fellow that stole your sixteen hundred dol- 
lars came right over and lost it all among us. We were not 
aware of the fact at the time ; but had it not been for that 
we would all have been out of money by this time. We of 
course can afford to be liberal under the circumstances." 

The Indians still continued their savage work. A lady, by 
the name of Taylor, living near the present locality of 
Anderson, was waylaid and killed by the Indians, wliile on 
her way to the place where her husband had been killed by 
them, only a short time before. Her friends protested 
against her expedition, but so anxious was she to look after 
the'remains of her husband that she risked and lost her 
life in the effort. She was killed near the spot now occu- 
pied by the Oakland Baptist house of worship, in Grimes 



88 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

County. This created quite a panic. Much was said, but 
from some cause but little was accomplished in the pur- 
suit. The settlements were small and much scattered ; and 
it was the policy of- the Indians, when pursued after depre- 
dations were committed, to divide out singly, and into such 
small companies as to make it quite difficult to follow their 
trails. 

The little band of Baptists at Washington still kept up 
the regular meetings. The pastor, the writer, was by this 
time exceedingly tired of his merchandise. He did not 
come to Texas for trade. The failures of the banks, 
before stated, had apparently made it necessary. Upon 
casting up my accounts I found myself in possession of as 
much money, after all my losses by theft and otherwise, 
as I had originall}^, and now determined to give the busi- 
ness up. Selling goods don't suit a preacher, for a great 
many reasons. Dealing with so many people, and charged 
, oftentimes with dishonesty, whether guilty or not, it is very 
difficult to preserve the qualiflcation requiring that he be " of 
good report among them that are without." Besides all 
this, the great tax upon the time and mind, to keep a 
business in good condition, interferes very materially with 
the preacher, who is required to give himself" wholly" to 
his work. Peter J. Willis, now one of the first merchants 
of Galveston, was at that time my clerk, and to him I sold 
my remnant of goods, on a credit, at cost and ten per cent. 
Taking the business in hand, he paid me promptly for the 
goods, and by dint of good management and hard labor 
has reached his present position. Thus my days as a mer- 
chant closed, never to return. 

No language can describe the great anxiety I felt to meet 
with a mission-loving Baptist preacher, holding, as I believed 



FIRST FBUITS IN THE MIDST OF TRIAL. 89 

our little band did, the ordinances of the gospel as they 
were delivered. None came, although I had been in Texas 
nearly two years. As evidence of the fact that ministers 
need ministerial influence and aid in their work, Christ sent 
the early preachers out " two and two." 

The summer season was passing away ; Doctor Manly, a 
Methodist minister, was daily visiting my house, nursing 
and giving a physician's attention to my family, several of 
them sick, and my youngest daughter very low with the 
common fever of the country. A pressing invitation was 
received from Eev. Eobert Alexander, to go down the 
Brazos River about twenty-five miles, and meet him at a 
camp-meeting. We differed widely on the questions of 
baptism, church order, and communion ; but as my business 
was all given up, and no Baptist ministers in the country to 
confer with, I considered this a good opportunity for me to 
go and preach Jesus. Dr. Manly agreed to take charge of 
my family. 

Everything was arranged at the place, in the old-fashioned 
camp-meeting style. Some of the campers were thirty miles 
from home. Although I left home after twelve o'clock on 
Saturday, I reached the place in time and preached at 
night. As it was necessary for me to return to my family 
on Sunday evening, I was requested to preach Sunday 
at eleven o'clock. My text for the occasion was from 
Rom. vi. 23 : " The wages of sin is death : but the gift of 
God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." I 
must confess that I felt somewhat cast down. During the 
morning I had reviewed the past. Fourteen fruitful years 
had been gone over in Tennessee, amidst the scenes of an 
active and successful ministry, and now nearly two years 
had passed in Texas, and if a single soul had been con- 



90 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

verted under my ministry I did not know it. I consoled 
myself somewhat with the thought, that amidst this dark- 
ness my motives were right, and that duty had been done 
with the lights then before me. My line of argument 
drawn from the text was, that while death was the wages 
of sin, God was a just pay-master, and would always pay 
wages where and when they were due. A fervent appeal 
was made, showing that it was a fearful thing to fall into 
the hands of such a God as our God, without the righteous- 
ness of his Son. A man by the name of Jackson was 
sitting right in front of me, who attracted my attention by 
his fine appearance and marked interest in the discourse. 
He had come some distance to the meeting, with his saddle- 
bags loaded with whiskey, and confidently expecting to have 
a merry time around the camp with his friends. Greatly 
alarmed at the judgments of God declared respecting the 
sinner at the great day of account, he sat trembling for a 
moment, and fell on his face in the aisle. The friends who 
gathered round him were admonished of the fact, that the 
mind for the time being had overpowered the body, and 
that God would take care of his soul. Very soon he pro- 
fessed a hope in Christ, and lived a consistent Christian to 
the close of his life, some years afterwards. At the con- 
clusion of the sermon old sister Hall, a Baptist from 
Missouri, who had not heard a sermon for six years, and 
several others, praised God aloud, as we are informed they 
did in ancient times. To God be all the glory. A great bur- 
den was lifted from my mind, and I determined more 
resolutely then ever to "spend and be spent" among the 
people of Texas. This was the first testimony, clear and 
decided, that God had given in the wilderness of the west, 



FIBST FRUITS IN THE MIDST OF TRIAL. 91 

of salvation wrought under my ministry. My sick family 
demanded my presence at home, and Sunday night found 
me watching with the loved ones there. God saw fit in his 
providence to spare life and restore health. 




CHAPTER VIII. 

THE WEST. 1838. 

^' AVING glanced at the progress of the cause of 
Christ in 1838, in the preceding chapter, with the 
conflicts and trials of his scattered sheep, we pur- 
pose in this a review of some other facts relative 
to the state of the country. Warlike demonstrations, as we 
have before remarked, were pointed at us, both from the 
north by 'the Indians, and from the west by the Mexicans. 
Under all this pressure, a large tide of immigration was 
constantly flowing into the State. 

About the first of February, 1838, the Texas land oflSce 
was opened ; and be it remembered, that it was done over 
the veto of that general and statesman, Sam. Houston, then 
the president of the Republic, who by some means was 
wonderfully gifted with an ability to guess well, to say the 
least of it, as to future results. He had, with a wise fore- 
cast, seen the " Lone Star Republic" rising like a star in 
the distance, at the time he left Tennessee, and now he de- 
clares in his protest, that if the land oflice was opened, and 
certificates were located before the country was sectionized, 
it must inevitably result in an untold number of law- 
suits, furnishing no good to any, save the swarm of petty 
lawj^ers and swindlers that were then in the country, and 
others who by the act would be encouraged to come. The 
truth of this prediction has been realized in almost every 



THE WEST. 93 

court in Texas for the past quarter of a century. The pre- 
diction, however , was no barrier in the of way the coming 
population. Certificates were bought up and located rap- 
idly, every man supposing that he could locate and sell 
lands enough to realize a fortune before litigations would 
spring up. Some succeeded and many failed. Among 
those who failed were many of a class, who, on their 
arrival, supposed that Texans were a back-woods, illiterate 
people, and that they, the new comers, were members of 
the "King Kno w- All " family. Such men might be met 
with every day in fine spirits, and talking wisely about an- 
nexation and the future glory of the Texas Star. It was 
the pride of the furloughed soldiers to swindle them out of 
all they had, and then laugh at them as " green from the 
States." 

Land speculators swarmed like locusts. Large amounts 
of money were invested in certificates, and reports of the 
- great value of lands in the valleys of the west led these 
men in large bodies to travel towards sunset. These spec- 
ulators with guns and camp equipage were considered by 
the Lidians men of war, and every man's path was full of 
danger. • 

Be it remembered that it was now the first of March, 1838, 
previous to both the protracted meetings referred to, and 
just after I had closed my merchandise. My lungs were 
quite feeble ; the salt atmosphere of our south-western coast 
was considered as beneficial to one in my condition. Out- 
side of the little town of Washington, I seldom had oppor- 
tunities to preach ; and with a slight attack of Texas land 
fever, so common in the countr}^, I, too, invested some 
money in certificates and started west. 

We have heretofore given an imperfect sketch, morally 



94 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

and physically, of the country east of the Brazos, and 
along its rich valley from its mouth as high up as Marlin, 
in Falls County. By consent, the territory west of this 
river is denominated Western Texas, and this occupies by 
far the larger part of the State. Look on your map, and 
see what a vast territory stretches away to the south-west 
from the town of Washington on the Brazos. In 1838, 
there were only a few very small settlements scattered 
along the Colorado Valley, fifty miles west of the Brazos. 
For about eighty miles west of the Colorado, the settle- 
ments were smaller and more scattered, as far as Goliad, 
and beyond this, in a south-westerly direction, there was 
not a community of civilization east of the Kio Grande. 
Even Mexicans feared to go through these vast plains, 
given up, as they were, to various roving tribes of Indians. 
A few of us in Texas at the time referred to believed that 
these wild solitudes of nature would be eventually re- 
claimed, and, acting under this belief, made the necessary 
preparations to explore the south-west. 

As far as the town of Columbus, on the Colorado, I wended 
my waj^, a distance of seventy-five miles, entirely alone. 
About the tenth of March, three gentlemen, according to 
promise, met me at Columbus, armed and equipped in an- 
cient Texan style. Thus far there was only occasionally a 
house ; the greater part of the country was prairie of the 
first quality, with a sufficiency of timber for ordinary pur- 
poses. The grass by this time was very fine, and as we 
travelled over the high and gently undulating prairies that 
lay between us and the Guadalupe River, we praised God 
that there was even a distant prospect that this beautiful 
land would one day be dotted with farms, school-houses, and 
edifices dedicated to God. The largest herds of deer we had 



THE WEST. 95 

ever seen appeared in every direction ; as many as one 
hundred were in plain view at a time. We camped near 
the town of Victoria. 

Twenty-five miles brought us to Goliad. Here stood the 
breast^vorks of 1836. We did not look on these ruins with 
the feelings that are experienced by the traveller in 1872. 
The capture and murder of Fannin and his noble band had 
occurred just two years before, and the relation that Texas 
bore to Mexico in 1838 was very different from what it is 
now. It was hard for the Christian spirit to maintain its 
sway in our bosoms. In the face of the evidences of this 
great outrage upon humanity we were strongly inclined to 
cry for vengeance. We then thought and still think that it 
was an evidence of great folly that Fannin should have 
attempted defence on such ground, behind such breast- 
works, and with such a small band, against such overwhelm- 
ing numbers on the side of the Mexicans. Here, after a 
hard struggle, three hundred and fifty-seven brave Texans, 
two years before, surrendered, with a written agreement 
that they were to be treated as prisoners of war, according 
to the usages of civilized nations. On Sunday morning, 
March 27, 1836, they were led out and shot, — only twenty- 
seven making their escape, — leaving three hundred and 
thirty who were butchered in cold blood. 

We found at Goliad two or three Mexican families, and 
about as many Irish. I secured the use of the old Catholic 
house of worship that stood close by the breastworks, and 
preached to less than a dozen persons. This was the last 
settlement in the direction we were travelling, and the only 
opportunity I had to preach on the whole trip. This was 
the first gospel sermon they had ever heard, and in all 
probability it was the last. 



96 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

We were informed that these were the last white faces we 
would likely see before reaching San Patricio, and that 
there was no road across the country. The distance to San 
Patricio was sixty miles. The map of Texas was spread 
out, the compass was laid on it, and the direction ascertained. 
The compass, it was agreed, should be our path. The land 
along our way was very rich ; timber and water exceed- 
ingly scarce. 

On the second day after leaving Goliad, we saw, for the 
first time, a herd of antelopes. There was no time for con- 
ference as to what we should do. I had no intention what- 
ever of running my horse after such game as this ; but when 
my comrades started in the chase, and I saw the elegance 
with which the antelope moves, the excitement was conta- 
gious, and dropping m}^ baggage on the prairie, I passed my 
associates full four hundred yards in a mile and a half, and 
succeeded in cutting off a young one from the main herd. 
Seeing it was cut off, it fell down and cried like a lamb. 
Very soon I held the beautiful little animal in my hands, 
and would freely at that moment have paid one hundred 
dollars for the privilege of handing it over to my little 
daughter at home. We examined it well, and after our curi- 
osity was gratified, as we could do nothing with it, it was 
released, with a crop and under-bit in the right and a swal- 
low-fork in the left. Our interest in the antelope stock, we 
suppose, is still in the range. 

It was sixty miles from Goliad to San Patricio ; yet, desir* 
ous of seeing as much of the country as possible, we had 
travelled towards the junction of the Rio Frio and Nueces 
Rivers. These flow together, both lovely streams, and flow 
to the' gulf under the name of Nueces. The junction is 
about fifty miles from Goliad, and San Patricio is on this 



THE WEST. 197 

river about fifty miles below. At this junction we camped, 
and had the greatest quantity of wild meat at our com- 
mand. Our route was along the valley of this beautiful 
stream. Occasionally we saw signs of the Red Man, which 
kept us on the alert. Indians seldom give warning, strik- 
ing when and where you least expect it. 

We observed, while in this valley, a striking contrast 
between Indians and rattlesnakes. A large pile of trash 
was observed, full eighteen inches high, curiously placed 
together. We at once commenced an investigation, and 
before many sticks were stirred, two grand, bold, spotted 
rattlesnakes made their appearance. Without the least 
attempt to take us by surprise, the war-drums on the ends 
of their tails struck a few sharp notes, the weapons of war 
were freely exposed, and with heads erect above a splendid 
coil, they hissed a challenge for a fight. The challenge was 
accepted, but not until we had secured poles that we sup- 
posed would measure about double the length of either 
snake. After a short engagement, none of our men being 
killed or wounded, the snakes lay dead at our feet, meas- 
uring each full six feet long and three or four inches in 
diameter. We met on this river quite a number of this 
spotted, warlike tribe. Christ advised his early preachers 
to take lessons from serpents : "Be wise as serpents ;" and 
we think, if the nations of earth would act upon some of 
the usages of rattlesnakes, we would be better ofi". They 
never fight except in self-defence, and then give fair warn- 
ing. 

We pushed on our way to San Patricio as rapidly as pos- 
sible, in order to meet a body of surveyors that we knew 
were on their way to this point from Victoria. Arrived at 
the place in good time, and after hearty salutations were 
7 



98 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

given and returned between us and the surveyors, and 
before we entered upon our work, we examined, with some 
interest, the relics of the little town once occupied by an 
Irish colony. No one had lived there since the campaign 
of 1836, when the Mexicans invaded the country, and 
drove all the colonists east. 

Corpus_jQliristi was the place where we agreed to strike 
our camp ; a name simply given to a locality on our south- 
western coast at the mouth of the Nueces River. We saw 
no indication of any former settlement at this place, but 
were informed, by an intelligent Irishman accompanying 
the surveyors, that this was the point at which the colony 
at San Patricio procured their supplies. We arrived at 
this point about sunset, and in consequence of the great 
amount of Indian signs, guards were promptly detailed and 
but little sleeping done. 

The next morning the beginning corner was established, 
right on the bay, and the work went forward. The land 
on which the city now stands was taken up by our party. 
Wonderful indeed are the changes of these thirty-four 
years. While the work was going on every man's gun 
hung by a strap at his side. The surveyors numbered 
eight. M}?- company numbered four. Our number was 
twelve, — in the midst of a country occupied by the most 
hostile Indians, some of them known to be cannibals, — 
and the nearest assistance, in the event of an attack upon 
us, was full ninety miles awa3^ In view of this, every 
night, my company of four after dark went back into some 
secluded place, from two to three miles, so that the Indians 
could not find us, even if we were seen through the day. 
The surveyors were reckless men, and refused to follow the 



THE WEST. 99 

example, but camped every night where the work ceased. 
Which was the wiser policy will soon appear. 

Uncle Matthew Burnett, one of my company, and I, 
determined that no Indian in the west had a horse that 
could run as fast and as long as ours. As our services 
were not specially needed with the surveyors, we agreed 
upon a stroll some eight or ten miles west, in order. to ex- 
amine further the Indian and wild-horse range. We trav- 
elled leisurely along the direction of a small creek, some 
six or seven miles, over a rough hog-wallow prairie, and 
were suddenly startled by a clear, shrill yell, right behind 
us. Riding hastily to the top of a little eminence close by, 
and turning our eyes back, we saw, between us and the 
camp, twelve Indians mounted on horseback, and clad in 
the habiliments of war. Observing that we were upon the 
lookout, they halted in full view, with their Mexican spears 
glistening in the sunlight. The nearest point of timber 
was four miles. The point of timber, the position of the 
Indians down the creek from us, over a mile off, and our 
position, formed a triangle. We knew enough of Indians 
to know that our safety depended on reaching the timber. 
They stood perfectly still, waiting to see what course we 
would take^ Knowing that we were cut off from our com- 
pany, and feeling confident that they could reach the tim- 
ber first, they considered us a sure prize ; and, indeed, it 
looked very much like it. Two against twelve, certainly, 
was a great odds on an open field. They yelled, and we 
yelled ; but neither party moved for some time. They 
were one mile and a half nearer the timber than we were. 
Uncle Matthew and I had sufficient time to hold a council 
of war. Our plan was all laid. Every time they screamed 
the war-whoop we replied. My lungs were now apparently 



100 FLOWERS AND FEUITS. 

sound, and seeing what was before me, I straightened np 
in my stirrups and tried to feel that I was about twenty- 
one years old. We both had money belted round us, but 
in our war-council we decided that the race was not for 
money, but for dear life, and that, as they were cannibals, 
if we were caught, our flesh would be eaten. We felt con- 
fident that we could beat all their horses to the timber, 
except four, that appeared at a distance to be in good con- 
dition. Should these get before us, we agreed to fight our 
way through them to the timber. As we moved ofi* in the 
direction indicated, they started for the same point. As I 
rode the faster horse, I remained in Uncle Matthew's rear. 
We held our horses up for fully half the distance, deter- 
mined to put them to their full speed towards the close of 
the race. Every Indian was whipping his pony with all his 
might ; and ever^^ time they yelled we answered. When I 
was a boy it was ,a great relief to whistle when alone in 
the darkness, to keep my courage up, and this yelling an- 
swered about the same purpose. Before the race was more 
than half through, the Indians were scattered. The four 
good horses had distanced the others from two to four hun- 
dred yards, and as we rode up the hill out of the hog-wallow 
land, and on the half-way ground, the race v^s certainly 
a doubtful one. We were rapidly approaching each other 
in the form of an inverted V. Here each party yelled for 
the last time. I ran right up by the side of my friend, 
and with the end of my lariat whipped his poor, wearied 
animal with 'all my might. The race was very close, but 
we passed out a little in advance of the foremost Indian, 
and on reaching the timber leaped to the ground and pre- 
pared to shoot the leaders. No sooner did we present our 
guns than the shields were thrown up. They threw them- 



THE WEST, 101 

selves over on the opposite side of their horses with noth- 
ing but an arm and a leg exposed, and wheeled back out 
of the range of our guns. We might have shot one or two 
of the leaders, but remembering that they all would be 
upon us before we could reload, we reserved our fire. By 
this time all the Indians were up, but, as they were afraid 
of our guns, they did not come up near enough to reach us 
with their arrows. Every time they made advances, we 
presented our guns and they fell back. Knowing that the 
Indians could speak the Spanish language, I addressed 
them in that language with hard names, calling them dogs 
and cowards. I dared them to advance on us, knowing 
that an Indian trembles in the presence of a resolute spirit. 
Bemg exceedingly anxious to get rid of them, I mounted 
mj horse and galloped a few paces into the timber, and 
beckoned and called, part in English and part in Spanish, 
as though I was ordering a company of men out of the 
woods to come out and charge upon the Indians. By these 
demonstrations they were made to believe that assistance 
was close at hand, and they ran away in haste. We were, 
of course, greatly relieved. 

The Indians went south, and as soon as they were at a 
proper distance, we made our way in a north-easterly direc- 
tion to our camp. My mind was not at ease. In the midst 
of my danger, I had made a wilful misrepresentation to the 
Indians, making them believe there were men at hand, when 
there were none within six miles of the place. " Lie not one 
to another " is a plain command, and I was without question 
guilty of deliberate falsehood. My comrades then and 
afterwards made themselves meiTy at the recital of this 
scene ; but the falsehood mixed with it has always cast a 
gloom over my mind. Our lives, however, were preserved, 



102 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

and I hope, in answer to prayer, God has forgiven me for 
any sin I committed while passing through this fearful 
trial. Nothing could have induced me to undertake that 
race again. 

We now felt the iiecessity of great vigilance in guarding 
our surveyors while at work, and our camps at night. Pro- 
visions were gettiug scarce, except wild meat ; life was in 
jeopardy every hour ; and I would gladly, since my narrow 
escape, have given up all my interest in the wild western 
lands, to have been at home. But as my lot was cast in 
Texas, and as Texans in that day had little respect for 
preachers who gave any signs of cowardice ; and as I de- 
sired to return home in " good report among them that are 
without," that my ministry might not be hindered, I con- 
tented myself the best I could, and hurried on the surveyors 
as rapidly as possible. 

Man is a strange compound, and often knows but little 
about himself. Several days passed away ; Matthew Bur- 
nett and I had but little employment. Yf e grew weary of 
camp confinement ; and as we saw signs of Indians about, 
and still nobody hurt, we became a little reckless again, 
and agreed on another expedition, as it would be yet several 
days before we could start for home. Parties of Lipan and 
Tonkawa Indians, friendly tribes, frequently visited our 
camp and told us of the country farther west, of the salt 
lake, and other points of interest, that we were anxious to 
see. They told us of the Camanches and Cacrankaways, 
who were enemies to each other and enemies to everybody 
else. The country we wished to see was occupied by these 
last-named tribes, who fought wherever they met. In con- 
sequence of so much war, the Cacrankaways were reduced 
to about forty warriors. 



TRE WEST. 103 

Matthew Burnett and I, after necessary preparation, were 
soon off for a trip of several days. Our course, by the com- 
pass, was a little south of west. We saw more wild mus- 
tang horses and wild game of every description than we 
had time to number. After travelling about forty miles, 
we found plenty of fresh water and good grass for our 
weary, thirsty horses, and struck our camp. No Indians 
had been seen, and the night was passed without interrup- 
tion. The next morning, as our meat was out, we deter- 
mined to kill a beef the first opportunity, as there were 
plenty of wild cattle in the range. We soon saw the re- 
mains of four beeves killed by the Indians. About noon we 
saw some cattle feeding at a distance, and, taking advan- 
tage of a small bunch of timber, cautiously made our way to 
them. When close enough to shoot a fine beef, we saw a 
horse coming from the opposite direction straight towards 
the same beef, and after watching a moment, we saw an In- 
dian behind the horse and driving him along. Discovering 
us, the Indian instantly fell to the ground and strung his 
bow. This frightened the beef away, and soon the Indian 
was on his horse in plain view, about eighty yards distant. 
My friend Burnett raised his gun to shoot, but I insisted 
that his life be spared. We were in no danger, could not 
plead self-defence, and in the commission of a deliberate 
murder I feared the judgments of God. The Indian rode 
off, and as we rode along parallel with his course we com- 
menced conversation in broken Spanish. I told him we 
were Americans, and his friends, pulled my cap off and put 
it upon the muzzle of my gun, showed him the spring dag- 
ger by the side of the barrel, but did not approach any 
nearer to him. Friend Burnett still insisted on shooting 
him ; but I protested, and continued a friendly conver- 
sation. He was a young Cacrankaway, and pointed 



104 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

US to the smoke of their camp, plainly in view, but some 
distance away. He urged us to go with him to the camp 
and get acquainted with his chief. "We had, however, seen 
enough, — aware of the fact that they knew the locality of 
our camp, and as we were so far away they would naturally 
suppose our company was scattered. With these facts 
before them, we were of the opinion that they would hasten 
to camp, hoping to surprise and capture it. No time was 
lost. We were between forty and fifty miles from our 
camp, and, knowing the character of our enemy, it was 
necessary for us to reach the surveyors by the coming morn- 
ing early, or in all probability it would be too late. We 
rode hard during the entire evening, and as much of the 
night as our horses could bear. We kept off of our former 
track, lest we might come in contact with the Indians, and 
travelled ten or fifteen miles farther, we supposed, than when 
we came out. About daylight, on the third morning after 
we started on the expedition, we reached the camp of our 
boys, then, as usual, about four miles from the surveyors. 
Preparations were made as soon as possible, and when we 
reached the main camp, we found Buchanan and his men 
surrounded by the Indians, their horses, guns and every- 
thing in the enemy's hands. The Indians had out-travelled 
us, knowing the country and taking a nearer route. The 
chief was on Buchanan's horse, and his forty warriors stood 
defiantly round the camp. Not a man as yet was hurt. 

Four of us stood off about eighty yards, with gun in 
hand, and proposed a conference. I felt confident they 
were the same Indians whose smoke we were pointed to the 
day before, full forty-five miles towards the west. Accord- 
ingly I assumed command, and ordered Buchanan, then a 
prisoner, not to answer a question until it was first submit- 



TRE WEST. 105 

ted by the interpreter to me. Under the order he assured 
the chief that we were his friends. He inquired of Bu- 
chanan, if any of his company had been out hunting the day 
before ; the number and color of their horses, and character 
of their clothing. These questions were satisfactorily an- 
swered, and the chief said, " If these are the men, you are 
friends, or they would have killed my boy." We called for 
the boy to make the examination. He started to us with 
his bow, but we made him throw it down ; and as soon as 
he recognized us he ran up smiling and shook hands with 
us, apparently as glad as if he had met relatives. We then 
ventured up closer, keeping our guns in readiness. Peace 
was soon made. Horses, guns, blankets, and everything 
was given up, and a treaty was made. I thank God yet 
that my motto ever was, even among Indians, not to kill 
except in self-defence. 

We agreed to give the chief a letter to president Sam. 
Houston, then in the city of Houston, asking him to recog- 
nize our treaty. He left that day with three of his war- 
riors, and one of our men to accompany him. 

We remained a few days longer, got our lands surveyed 
and field notes written, and when we reached Victoria, met 
the chief on his return. Sam. Houston had signed the 
treaty, and, complying with the Indian custom, had made a 
number of presents. The chief left us near Corpus Clii-isti, 
almost naked. Now he stood before us, full six feet and 
four inches high, weighing two hundred pounds, wearing a 
two-story silk hat, a fine broadcloth suit, and a fine pair of 
military boots, with a sword hanging at his side. He at 
once recognized our company, and ran to shake hands, but 
on approaching me took me in his arms. This was the 
first and only Indian that ever hugged me. I have no in- 



106 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

formation that this treaty was ever violated. A profound 
impression was made by this incident, that every spirit 
begets its like. Kindness and mercy shown to an Indian 
boy resulted in saving the lives of our surveyors, and 
effecting a treaty whereby doubtless many other lives were 
preserved. God's word was verified. Coals of fire had 
been heaped on an enemy's head, and the animosity of a 
savage was consumed. The course that many of the eai-ly 
settlers of this country pursued, killing every lone Indian 
that was cut off from his company, was a great outrage, 
and certainly condemned by the word of God. 

My principal object in this chapter has been to give the 
reader of this simple narrative the true state of the coun- 
try in 1838, from the Brazos Eiver west. The dangers that 
lay in our path were in the path of every man who ven- 
tured abroad. After an absence of two months I was 
again at home in the town of Washington, in the bosom of 
a happy family, who had heard nothing from me during my 
stay. At the time of this writing news can be sent by 
mail, and flashed over the wires ; but then there was no 
communication. 




CHAPTEK IX. 

GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT. 1839. 

UKING the summer of 1838, we had some en- 
couragement of a religious character. In the fall 
gloom hung heavily all over the land. The gov- 
ernment was unsettled. Sam. Houston's term of 
office, as president of the Republic, expired on the second 
Monday in December, 1838, and according to the constitu- 
tion he was ineligible to office for another term. He who had 
so long been as it were the very soul of Texas was about 
to retire, and there was a general feeling of anxiety as to 
the result of another administration. While there was 
no large army gathered anywhere, Indians, Mexicans 
and Americans were on the war-path in almost every direc- 
tion, in small companies. The house of worship com- 
menced by the little handful of Baptists at Washington 
was a failure ; most of the members were moving away, 
and the church was dissolved. 

With a sad heart I determined upon another location, and 
early in the winter of 1838 moved to Lagrange, on the 
Colorado Eiver. This was at that time a very small place. 
Above Lagrange, some six or eight miles, near where the 
Plum Grove Baptist meeting-house now stands, we struck 
our camp. 

The first Saturday evening after my arrival, brother Wm. 
Scallorn rode up to my camp and inquired if my name was 
Morrell — if I was a cripple — and if I was from the 

107 



108 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

western district of Tennessee, all of which being answered in 
the affirmative, my consent was obtained to preach at his 
house the next morning. The appointment was circulated 
and the few people then living in the neighborhood were as- 
sembled together. Before the sermon was closed the preacher 
plainly saw that there was quite an interest in the little 
congregation, and a regular monthly appointment was an- 
nounced. At each successive appointment the interest in- 
creased, until the power of God was manifest in a precious 
revival, — the first I had enjoyed for a long while. During 
these meetings held in the spring of 1839, Elders Wm. T. 
and J. V. Wright, twin brothers, who have since preached 
in Texas with such power, were both convicted of sin and 
subsequently converted and baptized. 

On a visit to the town of Lagrange, in February, 1839, 1 
heard of the Honorable R. E. B. Baylor, formerly a con- 
gressman from Alabama. A letter was handed to me which 
showed that he had professed religion, joined the Baptist 
church, and had been exercising his gift with great promise ; 
so much so that -the church had licensed him to preach. In 
this letter it was farther stated that he had gone to Texas, 
and that the brethren were greatly exercised about his 
welfare as a preacher ; that in consequence of his distin- 
guished political attainments, and the inducements offered 
in a new country to seek promotion, fears were expressed 
lest he might not be active in his ministry, as there were no 
religious organizations to throw the mantle of protection 
about him. As he was then in town, I sought his acquaint- 
ance at once, and invited him to fill my appointment the 
following day. He declined to do this, but agreed to attend 
and aid me in the service. As preaching was at that time 
a novelty in Lagrange, the people all came out. After the 



GREAT ENC0imAGE3IENT. 109 

sermon brother Baylor closed the service with a very happy 
exhortation. He announced in the very outset that " there 
is a reality in religion and the Scriptures are true." This 
great thought was brought to bear with such power that it 
was easily seen that he was himself once an infidel. He 
contended, not only from the Scriptures, but from experience, 
that religion was a reality and ought not to be deferred. 
Here arose a bright star from the East, thirty-three years 
ago, that afterwards appeared with brilliancy in the Texas 
Baptist galaxy ; and though it is now dim with age and in- 
firmity, it still shines in our general convocations, and often 
reminds us of valuable service rendered in organizing the 
Baptist element of the " Empire State." I went home from 
this meeting greatly strengthened, blessing God by the way 
for this valuable aid in time of great need. 

Indian depredations were carried on at such a fearful rate 
in 1839, stealing horses, killing and scalping the citizens, 
and sometimes carrying off boys and girls of twelve years 
old and under, that the citizens met together, and by res- 
olutions declared themselves minute men, ready at a 
moment's notice, day or night, at their own charges, to go 
out in the common defence. 

The reader doubtless remembers the little girl of poor 
Harvey, captured and sold into Mexico, and afterwards re- 
covered. John McClellan, a lad of eight or ten years, after 
witnessing the killing and scalping of some of his relatives, 
was taken by the Indians and kept a number of years high 
up on Red River. In 1846, under a treaty with the Indians, 
he was obtained and conveyed to his father on the Brazos. 

The lad had grown to be a man, had entirely forgotten his 
mother-tongue, but told by signs how the killing and scalp- 
ing were done at the time of his capture. He was a perfect 



110 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

wild man of the woods. It was with great difficulty he 
could be kept from running off towards the Indian territory. 
Finally he agreed to stay one moon, and under a combina« 
tion of young ladies, who visited and encouraged him, his 
affections were gained, and he became civilized. He after- 
wards married, and only a year or two ago I had informa- 
tion that he was living near Waco. 

The Indians would come down on these expeditions 
about full moon, get up their booty if possible in the early 
part of the night, and travel by moonlight till day. Dur- 
ing the day, while they rested, spies were kept in bunches 
of timber on the high prairies. The finances of the govern- 
ment were so weak, and the few soldiers so scattered, that 
they could seldom be gotten together in time to overtake 
the Indians. Thus our minute men were compelled at their 
own expense to keep guns, ammunition and war horses, or 
allow these red men in most instances to go unpunished. 

Our meetings at Plum Grove were continued. The in- 
strumentalities were feeble, but God "out of weakness 
brought forth strength,'* and there were a few professions of 
religion. We visited the little organization at old brother 
Joseph Burleson's, twelve miles above Plum Grove. As 
Elder Abner Smith, their pastor, was paralyzed and helpless 
at the time, by request of the church I baptized sister 
Dancer into the fellowship of the church, who had professed 
conversion at the Plum Grove meeting. This was done 
about the first of March, 1839, in the Colorado River, some 
eighteen or twenty miles above Lagrange, acd was my first 
baptism in the State. This was the first baptism that I 
have any account of west of the Trinity. 

An announcement was made that several persons would 
be baptized into the newly constituted church at Plum 



GREAT ENCOUHAGEMENT. Ill 

Grove, at the next meeting, two weeks off. The time arrived, 
and we found persons present from the neighborhood of 
Columbns, forty miles down the Colorado River, and others 
had come from the settlements above as high as forty miles. 
Men living eighty miles apart took each other kindly by 
the hand at a little monthly Baptist meeting, their hearts 
bound together, not simply by the bonds that united 
frontier men so closely, but united by that spiritual union 
that God ordained should exist in Christ, before the sons of 
God shouted at creation's morn. After the sermon, and 
the ordinary preliminaries of a Baptist conference on Sat- 
urday, nine candidates came forward and gave the reasons 
of their hope. I was again greatly encouraged by the 
presence of brother R. E. B. Baylor, from Lagrange. Sun- 
day morning, at ten o'clock, we met at the water, and after 
a short discourse on the subjects and action of baptism, 
nine converts testified their belief in the burial and resur- 
rection of Jesus, by allowing themselves to be buried in and 
raised out of the water of the Colorado River. On retiring* 
to a small house, with an arbor of brush built in front of it 
for the occasion, brother Baylor, in his usual happy man- 
ner, preached a most excellent sermon. Regular monthly 
meetings were held during the spring, with sixteen additions 
in all to the little church. This embraced about all the 
material then in the neighborhood, except the twin brothers, 
Wm. and J. V. Wright, who carried their convictions along, 
and were subsequently baptized. 

This season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord 
greatly revived the drooping spirit of the way-worn trav- 
eller, and as we surrounded the table, with brother Baylor 
and these dear brethren, and ate the bread and drank the 
wine, my poor soul blessed God in faith that the wilderness 



112 FLOWEBS AND FRUITS. 

of the Colorado would blossom as the rose, and that the 
solitary places along this fertile valley woilld one day be 
made glad. The Plum Grove Baptist church still lives ; is 
the mother of the churches of the Colorado valley ; and in 
her age is still blessed with a large membership and practi- 
cal godliness. 




CHAPTER X. 

WHAT SHALL WE DO? 1839. . 

HILE the little band of Baptists was being 
increased and strengthened, the clouds of war, 
east, north and west, hung heavily over the 
land. Gen. Edward Burleson was the leading Indian 
fighter of the west, with Jack Hays, Ben and Henry 
McCollough, Caldwell, and others of like spirit, all in 
readiness at any hour to engage in the most daring expe- 
ditions. The spring and summer of 1839 furnished ample 
opportunities. 

For about fourteen years the Cherokee Indians had held 
undisputed possession of Eastern Texas, north of Nacog- 
doches. Being an agricultural people, they had previously 
given no trouble. Cordova and other Mexican emissaries 
succeeded in breaking up the amicable relations between the 
Texans and Cherokees, and now Gen. Rusk in the east, in 
command of some five hundred men, was fighting and driv- 
ing the enemy north. Bowles, the Cherokee chief, was 
killed in one of these engagements, and the Indians were 
driven off, of course greatly exasperated, and determined 
to avail themselves of every opportunity in future to avenge 
the blood of their chief and fallen warriors. 

The tide of immigration continued to pour into the coun- 
try. The small crops, made under disadvantages the previ- 
ous year, could not meet the demands of the increasing 
population ; provisions were scarce and high, and there was 

113 



114 FLOWEES AND FRUITS. 

but little money in the country. We were hard pressed for 
subsistence, and the last peck of corn in my house was 
divided with the widow and orphan at Lagrange. I was 
then a citizen of that place. 

News had for several days been circulated that a wagon- 
load of flour was due from Houston. As we sat eating 
about the last bread on hand, and a little anxious as to 
where the next would come from, my little son came run- 
ning in from town, and stated that the wagon had come, 
and that the people were around it like a flock of black- 
birds. The scanty meal was left unfinished, and in company 
with the lad I was soon at the wagon. The wagoner was 
rolling the barrels out, and whoever got his hand on the 
barrel first claimed it. The writer, full six feet two inches 
■high, with arms in proportion, could reach about as far as 
any other man present, and soon claimed flour by virtue of 
possession. The flour was rolled home, and soon the wag- 
oner came for his money. No questions were asked about 
price when I took possession. The price was now asked, and 
stated to be fifty dollars. I was never so glad to get flour 
before ; but was forcibly reminded that a few such purchases 
would give my pocket-book the swinny," — a disease right 
hard to be cured in those days by an honest man. Some of 
my property must be sold in order to meet my expenses, 
and with the hope of realizing more for it in San Antonio 
than at home, I made preparations for the trip. 

From Lagrange to Gonzales, fifty miles, there was but 
one house. From Gonzales to San Antonio, there was no 
house. I knew the main Indian country, and determined to 
travel through this at night. Two Mississippians proposed 
to accompany me, and received my permission, provided 
they were willing to travel by my direction, and on my 



WS^AT SMALL WE DO? 115 

time. My son James, fourteen years of age, was to accom- 
pany me, making four in the company. We were to travel 
by the cornpass, and most of the way through the country 
without any road, taking observations by day and observ- 
ing stars at night. With very definite understandings the 
journey was commenced. 

We started in the eveniug, in time to make twelve miles 
by dark. My companions greatly admired the country 
passed over, and doubtless thought at first that I was very 
distant and unsociable. It was my habit, in all early and 
middle life, when starting on preaching tours, or on any 
other business of importance, to give myself up to reflec- 
tion and prayer. On this occasion I felt more than usual 
the need of a special providence. 

About dark we reached a small creek, and while my little 
son stood guard *on his horse some distance back, we went 
under the hill and kindled up fire sufficient to make cofl'ee, 
to keep us awake through the night. This was by no means 
the first time the lad had stood guard, and he understood his 
duty without any special directions. My companions in- 
quired rather anxiously if we were in danger already. I 
informed them that we were in a savage countrj^, and that 
Toy father, one of the sons of 1776, who went through the 
Bevolution when a boy, and who acted as courier for General 
Marion, had taught me that eternal vigilance was the price 
of safety. After drinking coffee, I exchanged positions 
with my son, and when he was through, a large fire was 
built up to attract the attention of the Camanches, If there 
should happen to be any about, when we were gone. One 
of the company before leaving descended the bank of the 
creek to get water, and discovered the bones and scull of a 
human being, and a blanket close by. After a little exami- 



116 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

nation, our decision was, that some traveller had passed 
this way, made a fire, and camped for the night. Indians 
had doubtless surprised, killed and scalped him, taking 
horse and all the effects. Some friends passing the same 
place had rolled up the body in a blanket, and buried it in the 
best manner possible with the means at hand ; and after- 
wards the wolves had disinterred the body and eaten the 
flesh, leaving the naked s}ieleton. We were all more than 
willing to leave that place, and travel all night, rather than 
camp in that vicinity. 

We travelled till about one o'clock, and slept an hour, 
with one of our number on guard. The next morning we 
were at Gonzales for breakfast. Here was a community 
large enough to defend themselves against any ordinary 
force of Indians. After a day's rest and some refreshing 
sleep, late in the evening we crossed the Guadalupe, and as 
there were several Indian crossings ahead, we preferred 
another night-ride, especially as we had information that 
several men had recently been killed near these crossings 
of the road. 

The next evening we were sixty-five miles from Gonzales 
and within ten miles of San Antonio, all safe, and out of 
the Indian range. 

Here we came upon a large herd of sheep in charge of 
two masterly shepherd dogs, one in front and the other in 
rear of the flock. The dog in the rear barked, and, rushing 
towards us in a furious manner, called us to a halt. The 
other dog rose and ran about four hundred yards to the top 
of the opposite hill, the whole flock running rapidly after 
him. As soon as the sheep stopped, the dog permitted us 
to pass, and ran rapidly to his station. His fidelity was 
tested the second time, with the same demonstrations. We 



WHAT SHALL WE DO? 117 

camped near the place for the night, and watched these dogs 
at sunset bring the herd into the fold. This we were 
informed they did every day, without any assistance. After 
breakfast next morning, we went again to see the dogs 
carry the herd away, and inquired into the secret of this 
wonderful training. The puppies, we were informed, were 
taken from the mother before they recognized her, and had 
been raised by a favorite ewe. Thej^ were thus raised with 
the sheep, and naturally undertook the defence of the flock. 

A pleasant ride over a lonely country brought us to the 
city of San Antonio. It was at this time in a dilapidated 
condition, but evidences were given of considerable expense 
and labor in the past. Several valuable stone buildings 
were seen and a large number of Mexican shanties. 

The great object of interest at this time to us was the far- 
famed Alamo, an ancient Catholic mission house, and often 
used as a fortress. Within these walls my old Tennessee 
friend, David Crockett, had fallen, whose name is still 
familiar to every youth in the country, linked as it is to 
so many anecdotes. Here, three years before, on Sunday 
morning, March 6th, 1836, Travis, Bowie, and Crockett, 
with one hundred and eighty-five heroic defenders, had per- 
ished, after a desperate struggle with an overwhelming 
number of Mexicans under Santa Anna bearing a red flag. 
The incidents of that struggle, and the names of a large 
number of the slain, were then fresh in my memory, and 
produced emotions in my soul quite difi'erent from those 
now felt by the stranger who stands by the place, and heai*s 
the fearful incidents rehearsed. 

Many things in that old city attracted my attention and 
furnished material for thought in after years. Catholicism 
then reigned without a rival. Before me were evidences on 



118 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

every hand of the blindest superstition. Since that time, I 
have always supposed that the term priestcraft was a better 
appellation for this system than religion. If ignorance 
among the masses of a country will best subserve the in- 
terests of priests, then all the facilities for education are 
hindered. If intelligence ride into popular favor, in spite 
of priestcraft, then schools are christened in the name of 
religion, and a studious effort is put forth to gather all the 
children of the country within the folds of Catholic educa- 
tion. Strange that Baptists and Protestants patronize such 
institutions. Observations of a half century lead me to 
prophesy that before another half century has passed our 
children will regret the folly of their parents. 

Two days were spent in the city, the business for which 
we had gone was attended to, and we were homeward 
bound. The Mississippians returned their thanks for valu- 
able lessons relative to travelling through a savage country, 
and pursued their way to parts beyond, leaving me and my 
little son to travel back entirely alone. A different route 
was chosen on the return, and as we approached the Guada- 
lupe River, an occasional volume of smoke on the east and 
west of the river gave the clearest evidence that the Co- 
manches, in detached companies, were travelling in a south- 
easterly direction to cross the country. We had to pass 
right across their track, in their rear, and for fear of strag- 
glers discovering us, we kept a sharp watch. "We passed 
their track undiscovered, but saw a pool of water, yet 
muddy, where they had watered their horses. Steering our 
course clear of the Comanches, late the same evening an 
incident occurred, that will be more interesting after a 
short notice of a distinguished Mexican chieftain. 

Cordova, whose name we have mentioned before, had 



JVMAT SHALL WE DO? 119 

been in the east stirring up the Cherokees and other 
friendly tribes to hostile feelings and demonstrations to- 
wards the Texans. Seeing the dangers that beset him and 
his comrades, since General Rusk and his five hundred in- 
trepid Texan rangers were on the war-path, he determined 
to make his escape across the country into Mexico. Be- 
tween sixty and seventy Mexicans, Indians, and negroes ac- 
companied him. They crossed the Trinity River near Pine 
Bluff, and, leaving Springfield to the left, crossed the Brazos 
near where Waco now stands ; crossed the Colorado at about 
the present locality of Austin, and, without any molestation 
that we know of on this entire route, were aiming to cross 
the Guadalupe a little below Seguin. Colonel Ed. Burle- 
son, ever on the alert in the west, got news of him, and, 
with about eighty men under his command, encountered 
Cordova about three miles below Seguin, on the east side 
of the Guadalupe. 

My little son and I had crossed the river, and fortunately 
had fallen in company with two citizens of the Colorado 
valley. We stopped to make a little coffee, to keep us 
awake on the night-ride to Gonzales, feeling quite grateful 
for our escape from the Comanches during the day, hav- 
ing been some time from home, and not knowing that Cor- 
dova or Burleson were either within a hundred miles of the 
place. While resting and enjoying the coffee, a single gun 
was fired about a half mile east of us. Supposing it was 
some citizen from Seguin hunting, we paid but little atten- 
tion. But in a moment two or three guns fired ; then a 
half dozen ; then by platoons the firing increased, and 
was coming steadily nearer to our camp. By the time we 
could get our baggage up, and ride two hundred yards to 
the top of a little hill. Colonel Burleson had driven Cor- 



120 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

dova, in a running fight, right over our camp-fire. We 
watched till the retreating party made their escape to the 
timber below ; and, when the firing ceased, not knowing 
who the parties were, we made our way on towards Gonza- 
les, in the night, as rapidly as we could. At Gonzales we 
learned the particulars of the fight, and that. Burleson had 
killed eighteen of Cordova's men, without losing a man in 
his command. Although they passed within a few hundred 
yards of us, it was getting dark, and we could not decide 
who they were. 

Having travelled till late in the night, worn out by the 
excitement and fatigue of the day past, we stopped to rest 
on an elevated, open, mesquit prairie, with only a few small 
trees near us. The moon was shining beautifulh^ Each 
man, by turns, was to stand an hour. Guns were all ex- 
amined and carefully laid at our sides. Horses were staked, 
and before retiring I reminded the watch to call me, if he 
heard an owl, a i crow, or a wolf. By this time I had 
learned that Indians imitated all these, and sometimes in 
this way surprised the traveller, besides using these sounds 
as signals for companions to assemble. The first watch had 
not expired before I was called up and notified that an owl 
had been heard. Quietly waking all up, I raised my head 
above the grass and watched, in the direction of our horses. 
I soon discovered three mounted Indians approaching my 
favorite horse, on which I had outrun the twelve Indians in 
the west, the year before. Crawling out near the horse, 
and determined to sacrifice life before they should have him, 
I waited till the Indians were within about thirty feet of 
him, and suddenly rising to my feet, with my gun to my 
face and in plain view, I gave the Comanche yell. As they 
wheeled to run away, the boys begged permission to shoot ; 



WHAT SHALL WE DOf 121 

but, as stated before, unless in self-defence, I was opposed 
to the policy and principle. As this was not a good place 
to rest, we mounted our horses and rode on to Gonzales. 

In the midst of all these troubles, on my arrival at home, 
the education of my children was pressing with great 
weight on my mind. Three years and a half were gone 
since my move to the State, and no schools yet, worthy of 
the name. My hopes of educating them in Texas had all 
vanished. The decision must be made, either to return 
them to the land of their birth, or allow them to grow up in 
ignorance, amid the wilds of the wilderness, and become 
"hewers of wood and drawers of water" for the intelligent 
population that in their generation would cover all these 
rich lands of the west. The three children remaining at 
home, two sons, aged respectively seventeen and fifteen, and 
a little daughter, nine, were each put on a horse, and we 
started for Houston, intending to take water. Eeaching 
that point, we found the yellow fever raging to a fearful ex- 
tent. Of course it would not do to expose the children to 
this fearful disease, and, overcoming the temptation to 
return, I renewed the supply of provisions, and under- 
took the long journey on horseback, knowing that in some 
places it was forty miles between houses. On reaching 
Hines County, Mississippi, I found brother S. S. Latimore 
engaged in a protracted meeting. Here I stopped to rest 
myself and children a few days and enjoy the meeting. 
Instead of carrying them on to Tennessee, I left my two 
sons under brother S. S. Latimore, the president of the 
school at Middleton, and m}^ little daughter at Lexington. 

As my children were left behind, rather than make the 
long, tedious journey on horseback alone, I determined to 
face the yellow fever, and trust in God for my deliverance. 



122 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

The epidemic was raging fearfully at New Orleans and 
Galveston on my return. My only child, except the three 
left behind, was a married daughter, who with her husband 
had remained in Houston. On my arrival there, the fever 
was subsiding for want of material. Both son-in-law and 
daughter were just recovering from the fever. 

The only income I had was derived from three wagons 
that hauled freight from Houston to the interior. These 
were driven by hired teamsters. The wagons had been 
started with freight to Austin, and my son-in-law was to 
follow on and see the freight delivered. His sickness had 
prevented, and a letter was received, on my arrival in 
Houston, that the teamsters had drawn six hundred dollars, 
had sold a portion of the teams, and were trying to sell the 
remainder. I rode home as soon as I could, and tarrying 
only one night, made my way on to Austin, and found, 
that, according to the laws of the land then, I could not re- 
cover the six hundred dollars advanced to the teamsters. 
Eeturning by way of Bastrop, I recovered the remnants of 
my teams. The heavy losses and my expenses in the edu- 
cation of my children brought upon me a heavy burden at 
this crisis. It was indeed grievous to part with the church 
at Plum Grove, where such precious meetings had been en- 
joyed and the first fruits of my Texas ministry had been 
realized. But for good reasons our location must be changed, 
and a permanent home provided, if possible. 

Hoping to get out of the Indian range and make a per- 
manent settlement, I traded my land for lands on the 
Guadalupe, thirty miles above Victoria. 



¥' 



CHAPTER XI. 

WAK. — 1839. 

ONG- as memory holds her seat will the early set- 
tlers of Texas remember the events of 1839. 
(^^k" Harassed by war on every hand, the unsettled 
state of society made our circumstances almost be- 
yond endurance. Our currency was almost worthless, and 
the Eepublic without credit abroad. Gradually sinking in 
value, the money finally, in the year 1840, fell to the small 
value of fourteen cents on the dollar. 

The Indians grew more hostile and troublesome. Oar 
minute men had been called on so often to drive the 
Indians from the settlements, that they determined finally 
to follow them up to their hiding-place, if possible, and 
punish them there, hoping this would have good eftect. 
Accordingly Colonel John M. Moore, of Fayette County, 
got up an expedition and travelled far up above Austin, 
making his way up in the night with the aid of friendly 
Indians, and found the enemy camped in a bend of the 
river. The bend resembled a horseshoe, with a high bluff 
on the opposite side of the river. They were surrounded 
while asleep, and at daylight a destructive fire was opened 
upon them, demolishing the camp and killing large numbers. 
.Many swam the river, and being shot while climbing the 
bluff on the opposite side, fell back into the water. A few 
attempted to escape by going down the river and crossing 
at a ford below. These were followed up and killed or cap- 

123 



124 FLOWERS AND FRUIT S» ' 

tured. The citizens bore tiie expenses of the expe- 
dition. 

The Indians suffered much during these years, as well as 
the Texans, and in February, 1840, a squad of Camanches 
went to the city of San Antonio and proposed to make a 
treaty of peace with Texas. They were promised that if 
they would return the captives they had stolen from Texas, 
peace would be granted. This they promised to do on the 
next full moon. 

At the time appointed several chiefs and quite a number 
of the tribe made their way to San Antonio, leaving some 
of the captives behind. A difficulty occurred relative to the 
terms of the treaty. The chiefs were informed that they 
would be held as prisoners until the captives they had 
carried out of Texas were ail brought back. Upon this 
the chiefs made an attack, and continued to fight until they 
were killed. The punishment inflicted by Colonel Moore 
and his minute men, and the killing of these chiefs, aroused 
the Camanches to such fury, that preparations were made 
for vengeance upon a large scale on the white settlements 
towards the coast. Early in August, 1840, they swept 
down the country in very large numbers, and before the 
citizens of Victoria were aware of their approach surrounded 
the town. The citizens rallied together promptly and drove 
them away, carrying as they went large numbers of horses 
and cattle from the prairies. They went clear to the coast, 
and sacked and burned the little town of Linnville. 
Several persons were killed, and Mrs. Watts, a lady from 
Linnville, was carried off a prisoner, her husband having 
been killed in her presence. 

My wagons had previously been loaded with lumber at 
Bastrop, which was safely deposited at the place for which 



fVAE. 125 

I had traded on the Guadalupe, thu'ty miles above Victoria. 
On my return, between the Guadalupe and Lavacca Rivers, 
I saw clouds of smoke rise up and suddenly pass away, 
answered by corresponding signs in other directions. We 
passed with the wagons just in the rear and across the 
track of the Indians as they went down. From their trail I 
thought, and afterwards found I was correct, that there 
were four or five hundred. The trail was on the dividing 
ridge between Lavacca and Guadalupe Elvers. I trembled 
for the settlements below ; for I knew this meant war on a 
larger scale than usual. About two miles after we passed 
this trail, we found a horse whipped and spurred till he 
could go no further. Just at this time, a herd of mustang- 
horses, almost run to death, passed about one hundred yards 
behind our wagons, pursued by a body of twenty-five or 
thirty Indians. Seeing our guns and pistols, the Indians 
turned off and kept out of the mnge of our fire-arms. 
Above Austin they had attacked a wagon and thirteen of 
our men ; and although they captured the wagon and killed 
twelve of the men, it had cost the savages so many lives 
that they did not care to come in contact with wagons at so 
early a date the second time. This we presume was, under 
the providence of God, the reason of our escape. They 
could have overpowered us in a very short time. This was 
doubtless the rear guard of the advancing, barbarous 
plunderers. 

About ahalfmilefromwhere we saw the mustangs, a party 
of stragglers had attacked two men. One of them, being 
shot, fell from his horse, and they, supposing him to be dead, 
left in pursuit of the other. They soon captured him and 
brought him back to where the first had fallen. Im- 
mediately after they overtook him, they cut ofi'the soles of 



126 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

his feet, and made him walk barefooted on the rough grass 
back to where the attack was made, hoping, we suppose, 
after the cruel treatment was over, to get the scalps of both. 
On their arrival at the spot, the man whom they supposed 
to be dead had crawled to a neighboring thicket, badly 
wounded. Fearing to attack him, knowing that he had a 
gun, and was securely sheltered from their arrows, they took 
his companion's own gun and shot him dead, terribly man- 
gling his body, in plain view. The man in the thicket saw my 
wagons pass near by, a few minutes afterwards, as he sub- 
sequently told me. My oxen were in fine condition, and 
being anxious to communicate this intelligence to Colonel 
Ed. Burleson and the citizens of the Colorado valley as 
early as possible, I '. drove thirty miles in twelve hours. I 
crossed the Indian trail at twelve o'clock in the day, and 
reached home, at Lagrange, at midnight. In view of the 
long race before me, I tried to sleep some, while a horse 
was being secured. At four o'clock in the morning I was 
in my saddle, intending to reach Colonel Ed. Burleson's at 
daylight, twelve miles off', on a borrowed horse, as I had no 
horse in condition for the trip. 

The reader must pardon me for a little digression. An 
incident in the history of the owner of the horse that I had 
borrowed for this trip will illustrate the confidence felt that 
no Camanche in the range would overtake me in a fair race. 
This confidence in those days rendered great relief. Captain 
Dick Chisholm, the owner, lived a year or two before down 
the Guadalupe, between Victoria and Gonzales. Chisholm 
weighed two hundred pounds, and ventured out on business 
one day, between the Guadalupe and Lavacca Rivers, in 
company with a Texan, who rode a horse trained to run 
from Indians or after them. The captain was riding a slow, 



WAR, 127 

untrained horse. Soon twenty-seven Camanches were on 
their track. When Chisholm saw that he must be overtaken, 
he bid the Texan flee to Gonzales for his life, and tell the 
news. His slow pony fell down on the hog-wallow land, 
and the cannibal band stood around him. The Indians rep- 
resented different tribes, and were compelled to talk Spanish, 
which he understood. The chief propounded a number of 
questions, but he refused an answer. In the mean time, the 
savages discussed the division of the fat man, after he 
should be killed, pointing out and marking off the desirable 
parts. He finally determined to threaten them and try to 
induce them to release him. The people at Gonzales, he 
informed them, since the two men were killed over this way 
a few daj^s ago, have determined, if another man is killed, 
to follow the murderers as long as water runs and trees 
grow, or until they are exterminated. "Kill me now if j^ou 
dare, and as soon as my man gets to Gonzales, a large body 
of men will come here, on horses as fast as his, and they 
will very soon run down the last horse you have ; and they 
will kill the last one of you, and give your flesh to the buz- 
zards. Kill me and eat me as quick as you please." The 
chief's eyes flashed with surprise ; fear took hold of him ; 
the horse and blanket and gun were given up ; and after an 
assurance that they and he would ever afterwards remain 
friends. Captain Dick Chisholm made his way to Gonzales, 
determined never to ride a slow pony in Indian range again. 
The sorrel, ball-faced horse was purchased, — full seventeen 
hands high, seven years of age, and made well for a long 
race, — at two hundred and fifty dollars. My friend cheer- 
fully tendered me this horse for the hazardous expedition. 

The sun was just rising as I reached Colonel Burleson's 
house. The story was rapidly rehearsed. His war-horse 



128 FLOWERS ANJy FRUITS, 

was ordered at once. Just before mounting he pointed my 
attention to his saddle, wearing the marks of bullets, — one 
on the inside of the horn, one on the outside of the horn, 
and one on the back part of the tree. " All these," said he, 
were made when I was in the saddle." His horse 
was killed under him at the battle of San Jacinto. By the 
time we were mounted, a man was in sight, his horse run- 
ning rapidly, and a paper in his hand, fluttering in the 
breeze. The expressman presented the paper, which read 
about as follows : — 

" General : The Indians have sacked and burned the town 
of Linnville ; carried off several prisoners. We made a 
draw-fight with them at Casa Blanca, — could not stop them ; 
— we want to fight them before they get to the mountains. 
We have sent expressmen up the Guadalupe. 

" (Signed) Ben. McCulloch." 

We made our way up the Colorado valley as rapidly as 
we could to Bastrop, notifying everybody as we went. 
Here Colonel Burleson called a council, and it was agreed 
that the Indians should be intercepted on their retreat at 
Good's, on Plum Creek, twenty-seven miles below Austin. 
Colonel Burleson requested me to follow up the expressman 
to Austin, and urge the people to come forward promptly to 
the point designated. Here I rested at night, after a cir- 
cuitous ride to Austin of about seventy miles. In the morn- 
ing, rising early, we rode to the point designated, and found 
Colonel Burleson and his men had been gone about thirty 
minutes. Riding very rapidly, we came up with the Texan 
forces some two or three miles, as well as I remember, south- 
east of the present locality of Lockhart, and at the fork of 



WAB. 129 

Plum Creek. Colonel Burleson had been in communication 
with the troops of the Guadalupe, and now Felix Huston, 
Jack Hays, Ben and Henry McCulloch, and others, were on 
the ground. General Felix Huston was in command, and 
preparations were being made for the fight, when I and the 
company from Austin rode up. The fight immediately 
opened, with about two hundred Texans, against what we 
supposed to be five hundred Indians. 

The enemy was disposed to keep at a distance, and 
delay the fight, in order that the packed mules might be 
driven ahead with the spoils. During this delay several of 
their chiefs performed some daring feats. According to a 
previous understanding, our men waited for the Indians, in 
the retreat, to get beyond the timber, before the general 
charge was made. One of these daring chiefs attracted my 
attention specially. He was riding a ver}^ fine horse, held 
in by a fine American bridle, with a red ribbon eight or ten 
feet long tied to the tail of the horse. He was dressed in 
elegant style, from the goods stolen at Linnville, with a 
high-top silk hat, fine pair of boots and leather gloves, an 
elegant broadcloth coat, hind part before, with brass but- 
tons shining brightly right up and down his back. When he 
first made his appearance he was carrying a large umbrella 
stretched. This Indian and others would charge toward 
us and shoot their arrows, then wheel and run away, doing 
no damage. This was done several times, in range of some 
of our guns. Soon the discovery was made that he wore a 
shield, and although our men took good aim the balls glanced. 
An old Texan, living on Lavacca, asked me to hold his horse, 
and getting as near the place where they wheeled as was 
safe, waited patiently till they came ; and as the Indian 
checked his horse and the shield flew up, he fired and 



130 FLOWEBS AND FRUITS, 

"brought him to the ground. Several had fallen before, but 
without checking their demonstrations. Now, although 
several of them lost their lives in carrying him away, yet 
they did not cease their efforts till he was carried to the 
rear. 

Their policy was now discovered, and Colonel Burleson, 
with his command on the right wing, was ordered round the 
woods, and Colonel Caldwell, on the left, with his command, 
charged into the woods. Immediately they began howling 
like wolves, and there was a general stampede and vigorous 
pursuit. The weather was very dry, and the dust so thick 
that the parties could see each other but a short distance. 
Some fourteen or fifteen Indians were killed before the re- 
treat, and a great many more were killed afterwards. Our 
men followed them some fifteen or eighteen miles. 

Just as the retreat commenced, I heard the scream of a 
female voice, in a bunch of bushes close by. Approaching 
the spot, I discovered a ladj^ endeavoring to pull an arrow 
out that was lodged firmly in her breast. This proved to be 
Mrs. Watts, whose husband was killed at Linnville. Dr. 
Brown, of Gonzales, was at once summoned to the spot. 
Near by we soon discovered a white woman and a negro 
woman, both dead. These were all shot with arrows, when 
the howl was raised and the retreat commenced. While the 
doctor was approaching, I succeeded in loosing her hands 
from the arrow. The dress and flesh on each side of the 
arrow were cut, and an effort was made to extract it. The 
poor sufferer seized the doctor's hand, and screamed so 
violently that he desisted. A second eflbrt was made with 
success. My blanket was spread upon the ground, and as 
she rested on this, with my saddle for a pillow, she was 
soon composed and rejoicing at her escape. Death would 



WAE. 131 

have been preferable to crossing the mountains with the 
savages. She had ridden a pack-mule all the way from the 
coast, and when they stopped she was required to read the 
stolen books for their amusement. I received many letters 
from Mrs. Watts in after years, but never saw her again. 

When we went into the fight there were present about 
two hundred men ; but by night we supposed there were 
near five hundred. They continued to come in all the even- 
ing ; many of them from a great distance. Men and boys 
of every variety of character composed that noisy crowd, 
that was busily engaged all night long talking of the trans- 
actions of the previous eventful days. Here were three 
Baptist preachers, — E. E. B. Baylor, T. W. Cox and the 
writer, all in the fight with doctors, lawyers, merchants and 
farmers. 

Glad indeed that the enemy was driven out, but weary 
and careworn, I made my way home, Inquiring, How long 
shall these things be ? 




CHAPTEE XII. 

THE FIRST ASSOCIATION. 1840. 

ARK as were the days of 1840, God sent a little 
ray of light to shine upon the path of his servants, 
scattered in the wilderness. Altliough the. Bap- 
tists were weak and few, they were slowly increas- 
ing, partl}^ by experience and baptism, but mostly by immi- 
gration ; and there were so many different opinions on 
doctrine, that a conference of the whole, to consider the 
common interests of our great Master, was a pressing 
necessity. This necessity had profoundly impressed the 
mind of the writer during the whole of 1839 and the early 
part of 1840. 

In June, 1840, a small company of brethren, with four 
preachers, R. E. Baylor, T. W. Cox, A. Smith and A. Dan- 
cer, met in the town of Independence, Washington County, 
to form a Baptist association. Two of these preachers 
were missionary, and two anti-missionary. As the body 
could not harmonize, another appointment was made for 
October, at the town of Travis, Austin County. 

Accordingly, on the 8th of October, 1840, messengers 
from three churches, — Independence, Washington County ; 
Lagrange, Fayette County ; and Travis, Austin County, — 
met at Travis, to organize what is now known as the 
" Union Baptist Association." 

The church at Independence was organized in 1839, by 
. 132 



THE FIRST ASSOCIATION. 133 

Elders T. AV. Cox and Spraggins, with eleven members. The 
church at Travis had been organized by Elders R. E. B. 
Baylor and T. W. Cox, with seven members ; the church 
at Lagrange, by Elders J. L. Davis and Cox, with nine 
members. 

In the month of September previous, I had moved my 
family to the Guadalupe, expecting to return in time for the 
organization ; but was taken sick, and neither I nor mes- 
sengers from the Plum Grove church were present. The 
membership of this church was larger, in consequence of 
the recent revival, than either of the three represented. 

At the first session of the association, there were present 
three ministers, Baylor, Cox, and Davis, with messengers 
representing forty-five Baptists. Under the all-seeing Qye, 
of God these brethren deliberated, and laid the foundation 
of this mother of Texas associations. 

The second session of this body was held at Clear Creek, 
Fayette County, commencing the seventh of October, 1841, 
with messengers from , nine churches, representing three 
hundred and eighty-four members. At this session a reso- 
lution was adopted, recommending the formation of an 
" Educational Society." This was responded to by the 
organization on the spot of the "Texas Baptist Education 
Society." The moving, leading spirit in the enterprise was 
Elder William M. Trj^on, — a man of the first order of 
natural and acquired ability. A short time previous to this 
I met him, and spent a few days with him in his family and 
among his congregation. Here I was impressed with the 
fact that he was not an ordinary man. A rare combina- 
tion of excellent qualities fitted him for the pastorate, and 
evidences were manifest that as a missionary he must suc- 
ceed. Elder. Tryon was born to be a leader, and when 



134 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

Union Association gave birth to the " Education Society," 
he took the child by the hand, and from that day till his 
death he was emphatically the leader in the cause of edu- 
cation among the Baptists of Texas. 

He was born March 10, 1809, in the city of New York. 
A part of his early life was spent in Connecticut. For the 
benefit of his health he removed to Savannah, Georgia, in 
his nineteenth year. He was left without a father at nine 
years of age ; but under the influence of a pious mother he 
became a Christian in early life. His education, that so 
eminently qualified him for his after work, was received 
at Mercer University, and in 1837 he was ordained by 
Elder Jesse Mercer and others. He served as pastor at 
Eufala and Wetumpka, Alabama, until January, 1841 ; at 
which time he moved to Texas, under an appointment as 
missionary of the Triennial Convention. 

He first settled in Washington County, between the towns 
of Independence and Washington, and devoted all liis 
powers to the cause of his Master in the surrounding coun- 
try. As indicated before, he was the man for any field. 
As pastor, few could excel him ; as missionary, he wielded 
an influence that gathered all classes, from the poor to the 
rich, and from the most illiterate to the most refined and 
cultivated, about him ; and when he espoused the cause of 
education he was master of the field, and moved the great 
Baptist heart to rally around the infant institution at Inde- 
pendence, and labor industriously to provide means for the 
education of the rising ministry of Texas. 

Brother Tryon was a man of medium size, with an erect, 
well-proportioned physical structure. His dark, penetrat- 
ing eye, above which appeared a full, well-formed forehead, 
impressed every man who looked upon him, as to his Intel- 



THE FIRST ASSOCIATION. 135 

lectnal powers. "Warin-hearted and eminently social in all 
his bearings, with a clear understanding of human nature, 
he was guilty of but few improprieties, and was manifestly 
on all occasions a Christian gentleman. His piety was 
deep and earnest, and while he was by nature a leader 
among his fellows, his great desire was to lead them all to 
God. 

As an orator, my profound conviction is, that no preacher 
has ever lived in Texas who was his equal. He was well 
versed in the history and principles of the Baptists, and 
when his powers were brought to bear on this and kindred 
subjects, the charge, so often brought against us, of bigotry 
and ignorance, was hurled to the ground by this princely 
speaker. It was my fortune to hear him at many of our 
annual meetings, at his churches, and on missionary fields, 
and on all occasions he ever swayed the masses at will. 

During the term of the Congress of the Eepublic that 
was held in the old town of Washington, in 1843 and 
1844, he served the body as chaplain, by consent of his 
churches, when the financial condition of the country was 
such that no remuneration was expected for his services. 

In the winter of 1846 he moved to Houston, and took 
the pastoral oversight of the little church in that city. 
This was the last but crowning work of his life. Here 
was a small body of Baptists, without a house of worship ; 
but, under the fervor of his ministry, the small congrega- 
tion swelled to a large number, and the little church soon 
contained almost one hundred communicants. The body, 
under his ministry, put forth an organized activity and 
erected the present house of worship. 

His career of usefulness in Texas was short. The last 
time the denomination was permitted to sit with him in 



136 FLOWERS AND FllUITS. 

council, was at the session of Union Association, held with 
the Houston church, in October, 1847. At that meeting he 
was elected and served as moderator. There were a few 
cases of yellow fever in the city at the time. After the 
adjournment of the body, and the fever was declared 
epidemic, he preferred to remain among the people whom 
he loved, and who loved him, notwithstanding the dangers 
tliat surrounded him. On the sixteenth day of November, 
1847, he died, after much suffering, from a violent attack of 
yellow fever. . His remain^ were deposited close by the 
church edifice that he had labored so hard to erect. 

The deepest gloom hung over the entire denomination 
on the announcement of his death. Although dead almost 
a quarter of a ceutury, he lives, and wields an influence 
over the people of Houston. His labors of love are still 
fresh in the memory of the brethren at Washington and 
Providence, and every student that has been educated in 
Baylor University owes him a debt of gratitude. 

In this connection I will record the fact that Elder James 
A. Huckins rendered valuable service in building up our 
institutions of learning. He was a man of education him- 
self, and on all occasions pressed its claims upon the 
masses ; but especially he urged the importance of a well- 
trained mind upon those who intended to devote their lives 
to the work of preaching the gospel. His name appears 
recorded among the founders of the "Education Societ3\" 

He came to Texas under the appointment of the same 
Board that sent brother Tryon, and commenced his minis- 
try here in 1840. Soon after his arrival, the same year, he 
organized the church at Galveston, and the follov/ing year 
the one at Houston, and preached for some time alternately 
in these cities. 



THE FIRST association: 137 

I met him first on his field, in the spring of 1841, and 
held my second interview with him at the second session of 
the association. 

He was a close thinker, and from the pulpit presented his 
thoughts in the clearest manner ; always exhibiting the 
fact, that he was a profound scholar and student still. . He 
preached almost exclusively from manuscript, and. was sel- 
dom caught on any occasion without something appropriate 
in this form. It has always been to me a matter of aston- 
ishment that able ministers will uniformly stick to their 
manuscripts, when such good opportunities are so frequently 
given to stir the masses with the popular extemporaneous 
style of delivery. When on one occasion, at a general 
meeting at Independence, the appointee failed, brother 
Huckins, under an earnest protest, was driven to the stand. 
He urged that he had " neither long notes nor short ones," 
but no excuse would satisfy the brethren. His text was in 
Exodus XV. 11, — "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, 
among the Gods? Who is like unto thee, glorious in 
holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders ? " For the 
space of an hour he held the audience spellbound, by the 
force of his clear, burning thoughts. At the close of that 
sermon, a number of us went forward and gave him per- 
mission to preach as often as he wished, even if his notes 
should be forgotten. 

His power was felt by the denomination when he took 
the field as agent for Baylor University. Much that has 
been done, in endowment and building, was effected under 
his agency. The dates connected with his work are not 
before me. 

Some time previous to the war he moved to Charleston, 
South Carolina. On that field he ranked hio^h in the esti- 



138 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

mation of his brethren. During the war he ministered to 
the temporal and spiritual wants of the soldiers around that 
city, with a devotion closely allied to a martyr spirit. He 
fell at his post of duty before the contest closed, and rests 
in the bosom of God, where bitterness and strife never enter. 

The first officers of this society were, Elder R. E. B. 
Baylor, President ; S. P. Andrews, Recording Secretary ; 
Elder William M. Tryon, Corresponding Secretary ; Brother 
Collins, Treasurer. The Board of Managers consisted of 
Elder James Huckins, Elder Z. N. Morrell, and brethren 
J. L. Farquahar, Gail Borden, Stephen Williams, William 
H. Ewing and J. S. Lester. Believing this to be one of the 
most important steps ever taken in the history of the Bap- 
tists of Texas, and in view of the influence it exerted over 
the entire denomination, and especially the rising ministry 
of the State, I have given the names of its founders. You 
may expect, further on in this work, a notice of the develop- 
ment of this child. 

One incident occurred early in this, the second session of 
the body, worthy of notice. Brother R. E. B. Baylor, for 
some cause then unknown to me, had failed to give me the 
happy greeting and cordial salutation that he had on all 
former occasions manifested. Whatever might be said of 
him otherwise, my former association with him had led me 
to know that he was a cordial man ; and I knew these 
demonstrations had sprung from something that he consid- 
ered of grave importance. I was deeply wounded, and the 
pride of my nature forced me in return to treat him with 
marked indifference. He availed himself of the first oppor- 
tunity after the association was organized "to make some 
remarks relative to brother Z. N. Morrell," stating, farther, 
that he " felt under obligation to make some acknowledg- 



TME FIRST ASSOCIATION-. 139 

ments." He stated openly the unkind demonstrations we 
had made toward each other, and explained the reason of 
his course, as the offending party. Brother Huckins, a short 
time before this, as the pastor at Houston, had invited a 
man by the name of Merrill, a bad character, from the com- 
munion table. The name had been given as Morrell, and 
the impression made in the interior was that Z. N. Morrell 
was the man. Seeing that brother Huckins on his arrival 
had recognized the brother against whom the accusation 
had been made, he now knew the charges were false, and 
hoped the explanation would be satisfactory. I immedi- 
ately, with the permission of the moderator, arose and cor- 
dially accepted the explanation and the spirit with which it 
was made, as more than satisfactory. 

It is true that in those days we did some things in our 
general meetings without as much system as is now observed, 
but here was a course pursued, and a spirit manifest, worthy 
of imitation by the true friends of Christ, until the Master 
comes the second time. If brethren would explain their 
mistakes promptly, and, as publicly as they are made, give 
good reasons, it would heal up many diflSculties and inspire 
confidence in place of alienation. There is also no greater 
evidence of godliness, than for men of superior attainments 
to "condescend to men of low estate," and treat with cour- 
tesy their brethren of inferior and less honorable positions 
in life. Here was a man of distinction, and so recognized, 
an able advocate at the bar, and fresh from the Congress of 
the United States, who had taken upon himself the office of 
the Christian ministry. On the other hand was the writer, 
of humble birth and limited edacatiou, known in Tennessee 
as the " canebrake preacher," and in Texas as a " brier 
cutter and Indian fighter ; " and yet, notwithstanding the dif- 



140 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

ferences in other respects, we were equals in office as minis- 
ters of Christ. This simple incident, I will here record, 
wrote attachment upon my heart for brother Baylor that the 
revolutions of these thirty-one years have never wiped out. 
We have sometimes differed in opinions since, but whenever 
we have, my mind has reverted to the second session of 
Union Association, and a response always comes up from 
my hearj;., "His head may be wrong, but his heart is right." 
The rising ministry of the country can take this for what it 
is worth, when brother Baylor and I, who are both now 
waiting at the sunset of life to cross over the river, have 
passed away. 

Valuable work was done at this session of the body, 
looking to the organization of the churches, in order to 
beat back the heresies that were finding their way into the 
country. Not having the minutes of the first meeting at 
hand, I do not know who was the moderator. At this, the 
second session. Elder William M. Tryon acted as modera- 
tor, and William H. Ewing as clerk. 

Owing to the dark hours of war, and the bereavements 
of brethren and sisters through the country, the frequent 
removal of families, and the scarcity of ministers, the min- 
utes of the third session of the association show but a 
small increase of membership over the second. At this 
meeting were six ministers, and representatives of four 
hundred and forty-three Baptists. As an exhibition of the 
state of things among the churches, 1 here insert extracts 
from letters sent up by two of our churches, which were 
published with the minutes of this meeting : — 

'' Plum Grove Church, to the messengers composing the 
Union Baptist Association, when convened with Mount 
Gilead Church, Washington Count}^ : — 



THE FIRST ASSOCIATION. 141 

" Dear Brethren : In the year 1838, we first met together 
and held prayer-meetings. Soon thereafter, we were visited 
by brother Z. N. Morrell. In 1839, our little church was 
organized by a presbytery, composed of brethren E. G. 
Green and Asael Dancer, adopting at the time of the organ- 
ization the articles of the United Baptists of West Tennes- 
see. During the year 1839 we were supplied with "preach- 
ing by brethren Z. N. Morrell, A. Smith, and others. It 
was during this year that the ordinance of baptism was first 
administered in this part of the country. In August a 
candidate was immersed by brother Morrell, fifteen miles 
above this place, and soon thereafter fifteen received the 
ordinance and were united to our church. Duriug 1840 
and 1841 we were without a pastor, and unhappy diflSculties 
occurred, which resulted in the dismissal of eight of our 
number. Our little church has suffered much during the 
late invasion. Some of our beloved brethren and many of 
the dear congregation have fallen upon the field of battle, 
whilst others, and among them the son of brother Morrell, 
our pastor, are being carried as captives into the eneuiy's 
land. Truly, dark and thick clouds envelop us. Brethren, 
do not the calamities with which we are surrounded call, 
and call loudly, upon us to invoke the aid of Almighty 
Power? Let us go speedily, and pray before the Lord. 
Yea, let us approach boldly a throne of grace, and petition 
for help in this the time of our and our country's need. 

From the church at Gonzales : — 

" Dear Brethren : The history of our denomination in 
this portion of our country is as follows : Brother Z. N. 
Morrell is the first Baptist that ever preached in our county. 



142 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

He commenced laboring with us in 1840, and at the close 
of 1841 ten were collected together, who held letters from 
Baptist churches in the United States. With these we con- 
stituted a church, adopting at the time of its organization 
the articles of faith held by the United Baptists of West 
Tennessee. Brother Morrell was called to the charge of 
our little church, and the regular monthly meetings and 
weekly prayer-meetings were kept up, until the time of the 
Mexican invasion last spring, at which time our pastor, and 
all others capable of bearing arms, left to repel the invad- 
ing foe. Since then, until very recently, we have had no 
meetings for public worship. We have to lament that no 
additions have been made to our number since the time of 
our organization. Prospects last spring were encouraging, 
and some, we trust, were hopefully converted to God ; but 
the unsettled state of the country was such as to prevent 
our troubling the beautiful streams of our country with the 
baptism of willing converts. Dear brethren, we are truly 
an afflicted people, but we rejoice that it is written, that 
though 'sorrow endureth for a night, joy cometh in the 
morning ; * that notwithstanding we may be slain by the 
savages, or by our enemies the Mexicans, we still have ' a 
hope, which is an anchor to the soul, both sure and stead- 
fast, w^hich entereth into that within the vail, whither Jesus, 
the forerunner, hath for us entered, an High Priest for- 
ever ;' which hope cheers and supports us under our trials. 

These letters give fair samples of the trials and conflicts to 
which we were subject. 

You will now remember that a Committee of Correspond- 
ence was appointed by the little church organized at Wash- 
ington, in 1837. This correspondence resulted in bringing 
Elder Wm. M. Tryon and Elder James Huckins to Texas. 



THE FIRST ASSOCIATION, 143 

These brethren afterwards served as missionaries in Texas, 
under the patronage of the " Domestic Mission Board of the 
Southern Baptist Convention." The rest of us were nearly 
all missionaries in the Union Association, very much on the 
same principle that a majority of the soldiers of the Texas 
Republic served, at that time, at their own expense. 

The association was really in a formative state up to the 
sixth session, held with Mount Gilead Church, Washington 
County, when its present " articles of faith" were adopted. 
Of this troublesome period in our history I am always re- 
minded when I see the name adopted — Union. Here were 
brethren from all the Southern States, and some from the 
North, with their pet plans and notions and opinions, — every 
man, almost, striving to get the articles of faith and plan of 
operations under which he had been trained as a Baptist, 
a.dopted, apparently manifesting the belief that the 
Baptists of his particular State were the only orthodox 
people upon the face of the earth. The more thoughtful 
among the brethren went to every meeting of the body 
duriug this period, anxious lest good brethren, whose . in- 
fluence and co-operation were needed, would fly off at a 
tangent, and every means was adopted by them, without 
sacrificing vital principles, to hold all together. So ear- 
nestly did these brethren strive to hold together, that heresy 
was allowed to come in among us, and remain longer than 
a strict compliance with the law God permitted, as will be 
seen hereafter. None save those who lived through it, or 
through like ordeals elsewhere, can conceive of the many 
difficulties that beset us. 

At the fifth session of the body, after dissatisfactions had 
been expressed at all the previous meetings after the first 
with the original articj.es of faith, a committee was ap- 



144 FLOWEBS AND FRUITS, 

pointed to revise and report to the sixth session. Pending 
the adoption of this report, and while Vixiginians, Georgians, 
South Carolinians, and representatives from other States, 
were urging the distinctive features of the old States, es- 
pecially with reference to the name the association should 
wear, — United Baptists, Regular Baptists, Missionary 
Baptists, all being presented and insisted upon, — one 
brother arose, and suggested that we were now Texans, and, 
as Baptist was sufficiently definite to distinguish us, in- 
sisted that the appellation of "Union Baptist Association" 
covered the ground. Elder A. Buffington, from Washington 
church, came to his relief, and stated that he thought the 
position well taken, and that " he had been constantly look- 
ing for some brother to offer a resolution to muzzle the dogs 
in persimmon time, because his ancestors from North 
Carolina, had set the example." The articles of faith as 
they now stand, and the constitution, with some slight 
changes since, were at the sixth session adopted, and the 
association has maintained a remarkably harmonious career 
up to 1871. 

The man who assisted in organizing the three churches 
that composed the Union Association at its organization, in- 
troduced the heresy, and was the cause of all the trouble on 
points of doctrine that the body ever had. This man was 
Elder T. W. Cox, from Alabama, — a man of eloquence 
and great natural ability. During the second session he 
preached on the subject of faith, and, departing from the 
doctrine plainly set forth in the New Testament, clearly 
taught the errors embraced in the system commonly known 
as Campbellism. The association being held with the 
church of which he was the pastor, he, at the close of the 
sermon, offered an opportunity for the reception of mem- 



THE FIRST ASSOCIATIOX. 145 

bers, and was about passing decision upon their fitness for 
baptism, according to the approved plan of the Bethany 
School, when Elders Huckins and Tryon entered their 
public protest. Quite a debate ensued, and some confusion, 
but the reception of members was postponed. In a council 
held by the ministers present, it was agreed that charges 
ought to be preferred against him before his church. 
Church authority is the highest tribunal on earth, accord- 
ing to the New Testament, and the association could have 
nothing to do with the discipline of chm-ches, except to 
advise. That he ought to be dealt with and promptly 
excluded, all agreed ; but who was to go before the church 
of which he was a member and prefer the charges ? Cer- 
tainly I thought brethren Huckins and Tryon were the men 
for this unpleasant duty, and urged the point accordingly. 
Pressing engagements were offered as excuses for their re- 
turn, and the task was laid upon the writer, or the disci- 
pline must for the present go by default, and thus allow the 
pernicious doctrine to gain foothold by delay. My family 
on the Guadalupe, and the church at Gonzales, needed my 
assistance and presence at once ; but as no one else would 
remain and undertake to expose this heresy, I determined 
to do it, and commenced preparing the way before the reg- 
ular meeting of the church. 

Contrary to my natural inclination, I had often, b}" force 
of circumstances, been compelled to meet Indians and Mexi- 
cans on their invasions into the country from the west, and 
aid in repelling force hj force, and now, equally contrary to 
my inclination, I was compelled, by a sense of duty to the 
cause of m}^ gi-eat Master, to confront, and if possible beat 
back, this advance guard of heretics invading the country 
from the east. I attended the conference, but Elder Cox 



)4G FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

entirely ignored my presence — preached one of his hetero- 
dox sermons — had the way prepared for the reception of a 
large number of persons, who would say they believed that 
Jesus Christ was the Son of God, no other testimony being 
required ; and when these would be baptized, he would be 
largely in the majority, and could turn the minority out. 
Having been informed from a reliable source that this was 
his intention, charges were written out against him, and 
placed in the hands of a licentiate minister belonging to 
the same body. 

An opportunity was offered at the close of the sermon 
for the reception of members, when I arose and entered my 
protest against the proceeding, on the ground that the 
.church was out of order, in consequence of her pastor's 
heresy. Elder Cox stated that this was an assumption that 
required testimony. The brother who held the charges 
then rose . and read them, and it was only by a very small 
majority vote that the charges were entertained. Had the 
persons then knocking at the door for admission been re- 
ceived and baptized, the charges would have been thrown 
out by a respectable majority. It is proper here to state, 
that the charges alluded to were first written out, and prep- 
arations made for this trial, solely on the ground of heresy. 
Just before going into conference, however. Elder R. E. B. 
Baylor sent me a paper published in Alabama, in which 
there was an advertisement of Cox's exclusion from the 
church he had left, on the ground of flagrant fraud com- 
mitted about the time he left for Texas. The character of 
the testimony printed in this advertisement made his guilt 
perfectly apparent. A charge based on this, in connec- 
tion with his heresy, was also presented, and a long and 
very unpleasant debate ensued. He was a man of extraor- 



TKE FIRST ASSOCIATION. 147 

dinary ability, especially in defence of himself, and in 
consequence of his commanding manner and pleasant ad- 
dress, taking right hold of the sympathies of his hearers, 
it was with great difficulty that the church could be made 
to see his guilt under the charges. Three times during 
the trial he was charged with false statements, and the 
proof clearly brought to bear. After a full investigation, 
the church was called to a vote, and he was excluded. 
Of course, under such circumstances, the ill will and hard 
sayings heaped upon his accusers, by those who still S3nnpa- 
thized with him, were very bitter. Faithfulness to Christ 
demanded promptness and decision, and when afterwards 
I called to mind the saying that is wi'itten, " If I yet 
pleased men, then would I not be the servant of Christ," 
it gave me much consolation. 

The ministers of the entire association accorded with 
the church in her decision, and were gratified to learn of 
her faithfulness. Most persons supposed that with his ex- 
clusion the difficulty was all over ; but I could foresee 
that Cox's influence, left upon the minds of those whom 
he had baptized, would cause trouble in the future. Here 
was indeed a severe stroke upon the three little churches 
that formed the Union Association at its organization. 
Cox, up to this, was the pastor in charge of each one of 
•them. The brethren, however, rallied around the standard 
of truth, and through them God has wrought wonders in 
Texas. Step by step, during those years of trial, truth 
gained upon their sympathies, and the child born upon 
the prairies of Western Texas grew to be a woman, and 
the mother of vigorous daughters, now scattered north 
and west. 

Union Association is the mother of Colorado, Trinity 



148 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

River, Try on, and Little River Associations ; the mother 
of the Baptist State Convention, and the grandmother 
of Austin, Leon, Richland and Waco Associations. She 
is the mother of the Education Society and the Sunday- 
school Convention of Texas. No body of Baptists in 
Texas had more trials in its early history, and none per- 
haps has been blessed with a greater degree of prosperity. 

While a dark cloud was hanging over the infant churches, 
in consequence of the heresy of Elder Cox, a bright star 
arose, and rested steadily over the old town of Washing- 
ton, on the Brazos. As the wise men of the east rejoiced 
over the precious treasure to which the star directed them, 
and over which it rested, so the men of Israel in Texas 
rejoiced over the first extensive revival. Where men 
scoffed in 1837, and where the most violent opposition to 
the gospel was put forth, was the place God delighted to 
honor with refreshings from his presence. 

The little church organized in 1837, in Washington, 
ceased to exist, in consequence of the removal of the breth- 
ren ; but when brother Tryon came, in 1841, it was reor- 
ganized, and under his efEcient ministry the little band 
delighted to read the promise, " Fear not, little flock ; for it 
is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." 
The faithful pastor was confined at home, in consequence 
of family afflictions ; but Elder R. E. B. Baylor, then hold-- 
ing the office of judge under the republic, was attending 
his court at Washington during the regular time for the 
church-meeting, and preached. God was in his heart and 
among the people, and he preached with great power. 

The meeting was about to close, when the brethren rec- 
ogiiized some unusual demonstrations, and urged Judge 
Baylor to continue the meeting. The Spirit of God rested 



THE FIRST ASSOCIATION. 149 

upon the commuiiit}' , and a deep interest took hold upon 
almost the entire population. Elder Bajdor was alone, 
nearly all the time, as a preacher ; but God gave him strength 
and wisdom equal to the task imposed upon him. The 
meeting continued for two weeks, and a large number pro- 
fessed a hope in Christ. Almost every night the ordinance 
of baptism was performed in the Brazos, which, interpreted, 
means " the arm of God." 

The baptismal scenes were of the most interesting and 
impressive character. The mooii was shining on these occa- 
sions beautifully. The congregation marched in procession, 
singing the songs of Zion, from the place of worship to the 
river. The noise went abroad of the mighty displays of 
God's power to save, and also of the beaut}^ and sublimity 
of the baptismal scenes, and from twenty-five miles i^eople 
came, and were themselves baptized before they returned. 
Forty-two were baptized during that meeting, and some of 
them yet live, to bless the church with their influence, and 
to tell of the power and willingness of God to save sinners 
in 1841. Among the number baptized by brother Ba^dor at 
that time was the venerable sister America Lusk, and her 
daughter, sister M. E. Grumpier, both members of the 
church at Brenham, and who have wielded such a blessed 
influence for the cause of Christ in Texas since. 



CHAPTEE XIII. 

THE DECISION, UNDER DARK CLOUDS. 1842. 



«: 



HEN the year 1841 closed, I was at home, two 
miles above Gonzales, on the Guadalupe, after 
an absence of nearly three months among the 
churches between Brazos and Colorado. I of course had 
been sorely tried, amid the difficulties alluded to in the 
previous chapter. A hurried trip was made to Mississippi 
for my children, for want of means to educate them further. 
This about consumed all the means I had left. The old 
dreamer, John Bunyan, said that "An idle brain is the 
devil's workshop." A little farm was at once opened on the 
river, and twenty-five dollars paid for a plough to break the 
land. An old set of blacksmith's tools was secured, a 
young man of good character employed, and farm and shop, 
by turns, employed a good portion of my time during the 
spring of 1842. 

Preaching was kept up regularly at Gonzales, and at a 
school-house four miles above. During our absence one 
night at meeting in Gonzales, the Indians stole the last 
pony we had. The horse was staked about forty steps from 
our door. After this we all went to meeting together from 
my neighborhood in ox-wagons. God blessed the little 
church with some precious seasons. 

Once I had been alone, as a Baptist preacher, between the 
Brazos and Colorado. Now that Tryon, Huckins, Baylor 

150 



TME DECISION, UNDER DARK CLOUDS. 151 

and Garrett were occupying the field east, I was again 
entirely alone, as there was not a Baptist preacher west of 
the Colorado Kiver to confer with me. At this time I met 
with Elder Carroll, a Methodist circuit rider, travelling in the 
valley of the Guadalupe. Reaching my house, his shoes were 
worn out. There were no shoes in the country to buy, and 
nothing scarcely but rawhide to reset. My old Tennessee 
shoe tools were still on hand, and a few small pieces of 
leather. He came to me in the midst of his distress and 
inquired if I could in any way relieve him. We did not 
agree at all on the doctrines of depravity, baptism, com- 
munion, and church polity, but just now we were agreed on 
the old Tennessee doctrine, that a boy was not fit to marry 
till he could stock a plough and mend a shoe. His shoes were 
mended, and after a pleasant interview he went on his way, 
asking a kind remembrance of the Baptist preacher at the 
throne of grace, for divine protection in the midst of the 
dangers that hung upon his path. 

While at the school-house four miles above Gonzales, at 
a night appointment, a scene occurred worthy of record. 
Some were standing guard, and others, in the rear of 
the congregation, sat with their guns across their knees. 
I preached with unusual liberty ; the attention was un- 
divided ; many earnest prayers were offered for our pro- 
tection in the midst of difiiculties and dangers, and some 
praised God aloud. The congregation was dismissed, and 
before leaving the place a gun was fired a few hundred 
yards away ; the shrill Indian whistle was heard, and the 
people warned to proceed with caution to their homes. As 
the way home for all the congregation was the same for 
some distance, my ox wagon, carrying my own and two 
other families, took the lead. The others, travelling much 



152 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

the same way, fell into line, and we moved olT calmly, with 
no confusion manifest. A proposition was made that we 
should sing one of the songs of Zlon, to drive the gloom 
away. Soon the echo was heard along the valley of the 
Guadalupe, and no doubt in hearing of the red warrior, of 
that old song so full of faith and heaven : — 

*' On Jordan's stormy banks I stand, 
And cast a wishful eye 
To Canaan's fair and happy land, 
Where my possessions lie. 

Chorus. — '' Oh, sacred hope ; oh, blissful hope, 
By inspiration given, 
The hope, when days and years are passed, 
We all shall meet in heaven." 

I then thought, and yet think, that amid the solemnities 
of that hour I heard the sweetest music to my soul that 
ever fell upon my ear. It was a lovely moonlight night, 
and a consciousness was realized that God would protect 
this company of worshippers to their homes. 

The next morning we assembled, after news was received 
that a man was killed. About two hundred yards from the 
little school-house where we worshipped the evening before, 
we found the body of Dr. Witter, an eminent physician, 
blood-stained and terribly mangled. We buried the re- 
mains as decently as our facilities would permit. Here a 
little mound was raised over the body of a learned infidel, 
who refused to go to meeting, though it was so close to 
his house, and beside that grave stood four interesting 
children ; the eldest about ten years of age, and scarcely 
done weeping over the loss of the mother, whom we had 
buried a short time before. 

Just at this time a traveller from the east brought me a 



THE DECISION^ UNDER DARK CLOUDS, 153 

letter from the Colorado valley, bearing date February, 
1842: — 

"Deae Brother Morrell: Our conference meeting 
comes on at Plum Grove next Saturday. We are in trouble. 
The anti-missionaries have been among us, sowing the seeds 
of discord. We are on the eve of a rent in the body. Come 
and help us. You may effect a reconciliation. Come if 
possible ; and may the Lord come with you. 

" Wm. Scallorn." 

The contents of this letter gave me pain, and I felt anx- 
ious to go and lend assistance ; but it was now late Friday 
evening, my last horse was stolen, and my oxen could not 
carry me fifty miles by the next day in time to meet the 
conference at eleven o'clock. 

This was once, I remarked to a young man from the 
neighborhood, who was waiting for work to be finished in the 
shop, that I could not go. He kindly tendered his Indian 
fighting pony for the trip, expressing a willingness to walk 
home two miles. In about an hour by sun, with my gun 
across the saddle in front, I left for a lonely night-ride. 
Should I fail to settle this difficulty, and the church should 
be rent asunder, where I had first administered the ordi- 
nance of baptism, the temptation to return to Mississippi, 
tinder which I was then laboring, would be increased. 
Only a short time previous to this a letter had been re- 
ceived, as follows : — 

" City of Austin, Texas, January 10th, 1842. 
" Dear Brother Morrell : I have been inquiring after 
you all the way out from Mississippi ; but as you are at Gon- 
zales, and, as there is so much danger in that direction, I 



154 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

cannot go down. Besides, my time is out, and urgent busi- 
ness calls me home. Information has reached me, that in 
the midst of this revolution you have lost everything you 
brought to the country. If you will return and labor for 
us, I will, if necessary, send you a check to defray your 
expenses back, and give you a better tract of land than 
you sold when you left us. We need you very much in 
Mississippi. Eeturn if you possibly can. 
' " Truly your brother, 

" James Greer." 

This letter had given me much trouble, and was yet un- 
answered. About twelve o'clock at night I stopped and 
rested one hour, and just at daylight reached brother S.cal- 
lorn's, fifty miles from home. After a cup of cofiee, I slept 
till nine o'clock, took breakfast, and met the congregation 
at eleven. 

The church conference was well attended, and after a 
sermon and the usual preliminaries, the question of mis- 
sions came up. A studious effort was made by certain 
brethren who had come in among them to make this a 
question of fellowship. After a length}^ conference, with a 
free and frank exchange of views, the church agreed to bear 
and forbear, allowing every brother to give to or withhold 
from the mission cause, as he saw proper. A sermon was 
preached on Saturday night, and after services Sunday 
morning we commemorated the death and sufferings of 
Christ. Here, instead of differences, the brethren mani- 
fested the warmest fellowship. Another sermon was 
preached at four o'clock, and late in the evening I left for 
another ride of fifty miles by night. My presence was 
demanded at home early Monday morning, and as it was 



THE DECISION, UNDER DARK CLOUDS. 155 

very unsafe to ride over that part of the country in day- 
light, the trip must be made at night. 

Rejoicing with my family next morning at nine o'clock 
over the settlement of the difficulty, we discussed the pro- 
priet}^ of returning to the Colorado, in answer to a call from 
the brethren to return and occupy my former field. We had 
exchanged locations so often during oar short stay in Texas, 
that we decided to remain, if it was the will of God, on the 
Guadalupe. 

Two Cumberland Presbyterian missionaries came in a few 
days after this, and preached in Gonzales several days. 
Nearly all Christians of the town appeared revived, and 
notwithstanding the dangers daily surrounding us, the whole 
community seemed pervaded with religious influences. 
These preachers were brothers, bearing the names of John 
and Phineas Foster. 

About this time the following letter was written : — 

" Gonzales, February, 1842. 
" Dear Brother James Greer, Holly Springs, Miss : — 
Your letter of the 10th inst. is before me. Prayerfully I 
have considered its contents for many consecutive days. 
You are correctly informed Vv'ith reference to my finances. 
It is true that very little has been done by way of organiz- 
ing churches in the republic, during these seven years of 
my sojourn in the wilderness. Considering the difficulties 
under which we labor, we have much to encourage us, and 
we ought not to grow weary, but 'let patience have her 
perfect work.' My faith is strong in the final success of 
the republic, and the triumph of truth over error and super- 
stition, that have long held sway over these beautiful valleys 



156 FLOWEES AND FBUITS. 

and far-reacMng prairies. My first impression after read- 
ing your kind letter was to return ; but after mature and 
prayerful deliberation, my mind is made up, that duty 
requires me to rise or fall with Texas and the cause of my 
Master in her territory. With feelings of profound grati- 
tude for your very liberal propositions, I must decline 
accepting, believing it is the mind of the Lord. 
" Yours in Christ, 

"Z. N. MORRELL." 




CHAPTER XIV. 

MEXICAN INVASION. — 1842 

EESIDENT Lamar's administration closed in No- 
vember, 1841, and after a most exciting canvass 
Sam. Houston was the second time chosen as presi- 
dent of the Republic, by an overwhelming majority. 
Colonel Edward Burleson was elected vice-president. 1842 
was upon us, with the " Hero of San Jacinto " to lead us 
through the dark days of poverty and war that awaited us. 
The war-dogs of Santa Anna were howling furiously in 
Mexico, reporting themselves in full outfit, and determined 
to quell the rebellion in Texas and plant the Mexican flag 
on the Sabine. Scenes of blood must yefc be passed over 
before we could in peace worship beneath our vine and fig- 
tree. 

General Houston's policy was much opposed to that 
adopted under the former administration. He condemned 
the Santa Fe expedition on the grounds that it was impos- 
sible for Texas to hold such a large territory against so 
many enemies ; and that the recklessness of such expedi- 
tions must inevitably injure Texas in her efforts to secure 
sympathy and aid from other governments. He opposed 
any eflTort to exterminate the Indians, by following them into 
their territory, as utterly fruitless, and favored the establish- 
ment of trading-posts along our frontier. He insisted on 
a retrenchment of expenditures^ — deferring the payment of 

157 



158 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. • 

the debt to some remote period ; and the issuing of ex 
chequer bills, with reduction of taxes. These things 
inspired the people with fresh confidence, and gained for 
the republic respect among some of the nations of the Old 
World. 

General Houston was personally opposed to the policy of 
annexation to the United States ; but he foresaw that this 
tide of immigration from the old States, which he had all the 
time encouraged, would by an overwhelming majority 
favor it ; and, instead of throwing obstructions in the way, 
favored annexation himself. I can speak advisedly here in 
consequence of an interview about this time with President 
Houston on a boat running between Houston and Galveston. 
On that trip he told me that in consequence of the rejection 
of the hand of Texas, tendered by the vote of 1837, and in 
consequence of the unmerited contempt afterwards shown, 
through the influence of chicken-hearted politicians east, he 
intended " to turn coquette for a while, and court England 
and France, right before the eyes of the old lover, the 
United States ; " and that, under the influence of a little 
jealousy, he thought more liberal arrangements could be 
made at the marriage feast. His engine of ingenuity was 
soon fired up, and in a subsequent conversation with him 
he informed me that as soon as the smoke of jealousy 
began to rise, the dastardly chicken-hearted politicians be- 
came more pliant. 

On Saturday before the first Sunday in March, the little 
church at Gonzales met in conference, and ofl'ered an oppor- 
tunity for the reception of members. Two letters were re- 
ceived, and my son James presented himself, aged seven- 
teen years, as a candidate for baptism. This was the first 
application for baptism on the Guadalupe, and there was a 



MEXICAN INVASION. 159 

spirit of rejoicing manifest. Ten o'clock Sunday morning 
was appointed as the hour to administer the ordinance. 
Many of our appointments in life, under the general provi- 
dence of God, are disappointed. It was so in this in- 
stance. 

On the fifth day of March, 1842, a Mexican force, sup- 
posed to be about a thousand strong, approached San 
Antonio, and demanded a surrender. The Texan force 
evacuated the place, and retired up the valley of the 
Guadalupe, sending expressmen ahead to notify the citizens. 

The messenger reached us late Saturday evening, and, 
after a little consultation, it was decided that fiimilies, flocks 
and herds must start east, early Monday morning. Every- 
thing of course was thrown into confusion. Sunday morn- 
ing's sun arose, and instead of shining upon our people on 
their way to the baptism, furnished them light by which to 
make their preparation to retreat before the invading 
Mexicans. My little blacksmith shop was very soon sur- 
rounded with wagons, needing repairs for the journey. 
More wagon wheels were repaired on that Sunday than 
ever I witnessed at one little shop on any day before or 
since. Wagons were loaded on Sunday night, and Monday 
morning a boy from every family that had one was detailed 
to go out on horseback and drive in all the stock of every 
description for miles around. The bleating and lowing of 
the herd reminded us of the roving shepherd patriarchs. 
By one o'clock Monday everything was in motion for the 
Colorado valley. 

What provisions we could haul were brought with us ; 
but these were soon consumed ; and as the state of the 
country would not allow us to move back, some returned 
in a short time to work out the crops, and others engaged 



160 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

in such employment as they could find for a living. My 
money was all gone, and receiving a proposition to teach, 
I undertook a small school, with pledges to pay tuition in 
provisions and stock. Money was out of the question. 
Preaching was kept up regularly at Plum Grove. 

While engaged in this school, a letter was sent from a 
church up near Austin, constituted in the house of John 
Hornsby, requesting me to go up and assist in the ordina- 
tion of brother Richard Ellis, who had formerly lived with 
me in Washington County. Having no horse to ride, and 
depending upon my little school for a living, I wrote to the 
church, saying, that if by order of the church brother Ellis 
should come down, we would, in the presence of Plum Grove 
church, hear him preach, and hear a statement of his call to 
the ministry, and if we considered him qualified. would call 
a presbytery and ordain him. We believed this to be 
scriptural, and in keeping with usages of the Waldenses and 
Albigenses in the days of the Inquisition. When all the 
preachers were sacrificed in one district they selected 
another, and sent him a great ways with letters applying 
for ordination. In no emergency would they assume the 
office of the Christian ministry without the observance of 
these scriptural ceremonies. Brother Ellis was sent down 
and ordained at Plum Grove, by a presbytery composed of 
R. E. B. Baylor and Z. N. Morrell. During the same year 
a similar request came from the same church to go up and 
ordain brother N. T. Byars. Arrangements on this occasion 
were made to visit the church, and brother Byars was duly set 
apart to his work. The name of the brother who aided 
me in this ordination has escaped my memory. He has 
long since gone to his reward. Brother Ellis preached with 
great power a number of j^ears, and passed to his reward 



MEXICAN INVASION. 161 

while in the prime of life. Brother Byars labored actively 
as a frontier preacher, with great success, for a long series 
of years, and was recently engaged in an active mission 
work on the Mississippi River. 

The five months' session was taught "without any loss of 
time from the school-room, and about the first of September, 
as it was not considered safe to move our families back to 
Gonzales, I took my wagon, attended by my son, and 
went to gather our corn on the Guadalupe. The corn was 
gathered, and just as we were starting back with a load to 
Colorado, Colonel Matthew Caldwell rode np with an express 
from San Antonio, as follows : — 

" Colonel : — General Woll has arrived at San Antonio with 
thirteen hundred men. The court, — judge, jury, lawyers, — 
and many citizens in attendance, are prisoners in the hands 
of the Mexicans. I made my escape, and came round under 
the mountains to Seguin. 

" John W. Smith." 

This gentleman was well known and could be relied on. 
The dispatch was received on Monday morning. Colonel 
Caldwell said, " Something must be done quick, and you 
must go with me." My excuses were rendered, — I was in 
very feeble health, was a cripple, was riding a wild, un- 
trained, borrowed horse, and was badly needed at home. 
He urged me to accompany him, stating that I could be of 
great service to him in controlling the young men who 
would be with him. ' My patriotism was appealed to, and 
remembering the sentiment contained in the letter to brother 
Greer, that I expected "to rise or fall with Texas," my 
consent was given to go on another perilous exi^edition. 



162 FLOWERS AND FBUITS. 

My son started on alone with his load of corn, to the 
Colorado, fifty miles. Although an Indian country was be- 
tween him and home, I did not apprehend danger, as men in 
companies would soon be on the road from the east towards 
the scene of action. 




CHAPTER XV. 

WAK. — 1842. 

URING the spring and summer of 1842, a great 
interest was felt throughout the Eepublic for the 
annexation of Texas to the United States, and a 
plea was urged that the war with Mexico was 
about at an end. The Mexican authorities, of course, threw 
every obstacle in the way of this union that was in their 
power, and learning that this plea was made, sent out the 
expedition alluded to under General Woll. Their expressed 
intention was to march through the territory ; but their real 
intention was to make a raid, and thus delay, and if possi- 
ble thwart annexation, hoping in the end to induce Texas 
to submit to Mexican rule. On the eleventh of September, 
1842, a Mexican force, under General Woll, about thirteen 
hundred strong, captured the city of San Antonio, making 
hostile demonstrations toward other points farther east. 

We gathered what ammunition we could at Gonzales, and 
left for Seguin, with instruction that recruits coming from 
the east should follow our trail. At Seguin I obtained ten 
ears of corn, had it parched and ground, and mixed with it 
two pounds of sugar. This we called cold flour. 

Recruits were coming in all night, and on Tuesday morn- 
ing we marched on wHhin twenty miles of San Antonio. 
Colonel Caldwell was in command, by common consent. 
A call was made for ten of the best horses and lightest 

163 



164 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

riders, to go and meet Jack Hays that night on the Salado. 
He had notified us, by express, that he was there watching 
the enemy, and needed reinforcements. ^ 

The number called for was soon obtained, — the writer 
among them, on his fine, untrained, borrowed horse. A 
charge, with some instructions, was given us, and a short 
while before day we arrived at the spot where we were 
ordered to go. A keen whistle was given, and readily 
responded to by Hays. Wednesday morning came and 
found us thirteen strong, with nothing but cold flour to eat, 
and a limited supply of that. Our ration consisted of a 
spoonful for each, mixed with water. A detail was made to 
stay at camp, another to go down on the east side of San * 
Antonio, and another under Jack Hays to head the San 
Antonio River, and go entirely round in the rear of the city, 
to ascertain if any reinforcements were coming in from 
Mexico. Hays was discovered during the day and driven 
back, making no discovery himself as to reinforcements. 
Thursday morning came, and with only a spoonful of cold 
flour for each, another effort w^as made to get the number 
and intention of the enemy. Caldwell still remained at his 
camp twenty/ miles east of the city, expecting the Mexicans 
to march on Gonzales. Hays was repulsed, as on the day 
before, and failed to get in the enemy's rear. The writer 
and part of the company went down the Salado, and dis- 
covered what we supposed to be the trail of two or three 
hundred cavalry, going in the direction of Gonzales. On 
our return we met Hays with his company, driving in some 
horses. Very soon, about forty Mexicans made their ap- 
pearance in pursuit. We retreated until they were drawn 
from the timber, when, under the order of our gallant leader, 
we wheeled, and forty Mexicans failed to stand the charge 



WAR, 165 

of thirteen Texans. No damage, that we know of, was 
done to either party. 

Friday morning, a mutiny rose in oar little camp, in 
consequence of the condition of our commissary depart- 
ment. Plenty of deer and turkeys were in sight all the 
time, and we were all hunters ; but our leader thought it 
best to fire no guns, and keep our position concealed from 
the enemy. From Monday till Friday, on a little cold flour, 
measured out by the spoonful, made us feel very lean ; 
and now that the flour was all out, our men began to swear 
vengeance on the game, at all hazards. Captain Hays 
insisted that I should make them a speech. I remembered 
the old saying, '' Never try to influence a man against his 
inclination when he is hungry," but as my captain insisted, 
and as I was under orders, I determined to try. To have 
approached these men with a long face, and taxed their 
patience with a long speech on patriotism, would have been 
sheer nonsense. So I mounted my horse and rode out in 
front, with as cheerful a face as I could command, and 
spoke as follows : — 

" Boys, when I left Colonel Caldwell's camp, I felt like I 
was forty years old. When I had starved one day, I felt 
like I was thirty-five. After that, on two spoonfuls a day, 
I felt like I was twenty-five ; and this morning, when our 
cold flour and coffee are both out, I feel like I was only 
twent3^-one years old, and ready for action. Our situation 
this morning is critical, — the Mexicans, we fear, have gone 
toward Gonzales ; secresy surely is the best policy ; and 
we ought to report the situation, if possible, to Colonel 
Caldwell to-night." 

An agreement was soon entered into, that we get infor- 
mation, report that evening, and get some game for supper. 



166 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

In a few minutes we were off, and soon met Henry 
McCulloch with thirteen men, swelling our number to 
twenty-seven. Here we learned that Caldwell had discov- 
ered the enemy's trail below, and that the Mexican cavalry 
had retreated back to the city. The families on the 
Guadalupe were safe for the evening. Here was fresh beef 
hanging to the saddles of McCulloch's party. The com- 
pany was organized on the spot, with Jack Hays captain, 
and Henry McCulloch lieutenant, and the young captain, 
with his first command, led us to the nearest water. We 
refreshed ourselves with this delicious beef and a good 
night's rest. We were camped within five miles of the city. 

Before day Saturday morning, Captain Hays detailed 
three men, and myself as the fourth, to go in sight of the 
city before daylight. He took three men with him, and 
made the third attempt to go round the city, and was suc- 
cessful, bringing off with him a Mexican spy as a prisoner. 
Lieutenant McCulloch watched both roads leading to 
Seguin and Gonzales. My associates and I remained se- 
creted near the powder-house, and before the sun mounted 
very high into the heavens, a Mexican came out to get a 
yoke of oxen, feeding near by us. As soon as it was at all 
prudent, we captured him and his pony, within six hun- 
dred yards of the fort, and in plain view. We could see 
the Mexican cavalry hastily saddling their horses as we 
passed out of sight with our prisoner. We rode twenty 
miles in about two hours, and reported to Colonel Caldwell. 

The poor Mexican felt confident we intended to kill him, 
and on arrival at camp he recognized John W. Smith, and 
commenced begging for his life. He was soon pacified 
with the assurance that he was in no danger, if he would 
tell us the truth. Hays and McCulloch both preceded us 



WAS. 167 

to Caldwell's camp, and as some anxiety was felt for om- 
safety we were welcomed with many cheers. The two 
captured Mexicans told the same story. With these state- 
ments, coming from the front and rear of the city, Sat- 
urday morning, ten o'clock, revealed to Col. Caldwell and 
his men the strength of the enemy. General Woll crossed 
the Eio Grande with thirteen hundred men, and picked up 
afterwards three hundred "Greezers" and Indians. Our 
entire force, ordered into line, numbered two hundred and 
two men ; General Woll's Mexican force was sixteen hun- 
dred. 

Saturday night we were marched to the Salado, and 
camped near midnight within six miles of San Antonio. 
Here we had much the advantage in the ground, if at- 
tacked, and during the night a council of war was held. 
The council decided that it would not be prudent to at- 
tack the enemy in his fortifications ; but if he could be 
decoyed out to our own chosen ground, we could tie our 
horses back in the timber, out of range of his guns, 
and from behind the natural embankment make a success- 
ful battle, although the enemy numbered eight to our one. 

Sunday morning about sunrise Captain Hays and Lieu- 
tenant McCulloch were placed in charge of thirty-eight 
men, to approach San Antonio and lead the enemy out. 
Out of two hundred and two horses only thirty-eight were 
found, by a committee appointed to examine them, fit for 
the expedition. My untrained, borrowed horse and his 
rider were selected to go on the trip. We reached a point 
a half mile from the old powder-house, and about a mile 
from the city, between nine and ten o'clock, Sunday morn- 
ing. This was about the hour that I had for so many 
years been accustomed to repair to the house of God, and 



168 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

my position in such striking contrast gave me some anx- 
iety. Captain Hays and Lieutenant McCulloch, attended 
with six men, left us, with orders to be ready for any 
emergency. They went down close to the Alamo, and 
bantered the enemy for a fight ; supposing that forty or 
fifty mounted men would be sent out, whom our captain 
intended to engage in battle. Contrary to this expecta- 
tion, four or five hundred cavalry turned out in hot pursuit. 
Hays soon approached with the command, " Mount ! '' We 
moved ofi" briskly through the timber, and as the Mexi- 
cans went round an open way, we were about a half a mile 
ahead when we reached the prairie. They had about fifty 
American horses, in fine condition, captured from the citi- 
zens and members of the court, and our horses were con- 
siderably worn with the labor of the past seven days. 
During the first four miles we kept out of their reach 
without much difficulty. Two miles lay stretched between 
us and our camp, and soon Lieutenant McCulloch, in charge 
of the rear guard, pressed close on our heels. Hats, 
blankets, and overcoats were scattered along our track. 
No time then to pick anything up. The race was an ear- 
nest one ; the Mexicans, toward the last, began to fire at 
our rear guard, doing no damage. We reached the camp, 
and, when formed into line, every man was present, unhurt. 
The cavalry that had pursued us passed round to our 
rear on the prairie. About a half hour intervened, during 
which time we refreshed ourselves and horses with water. 
Captain Jack Hays, our intrepid leader, five feet ten inches 
high, weighing one hundred and sixty pounds, his black 
eyes flashing decision of character, from beneath a full 
forehead, and crowned with beautiful jet black hair, was 
soon mounted on his dark bay war-horse and on the war- 



WAR. 169 

path. Under our chosen leader, we sallied out and skir- 
mished with the enemj'' at long range, killing a number 
of Mexicans, and getting two of our men severely wounded. 
In a short time they retired, and we fell back to the main 
command. 

Between two and three o'clock in the evening, General 
Woll appeared with all his infantry, cavalry and artillery 
spread out on the prairie in our rear, and between us and 
our homes. As we stood in line under the brow of the hill, 
the brave Caldwell informed us that he could never sur- 
render to General Woll ; that he had just returned from 
the Santa Fe expedition, and that it would be certain death 
to be taken in arms the second time. He urged us to make 
up our minds to fight it out, and even if it required a hand- 
to-hand combat, the white flag would not be raised. Closing 
this earnest address, he invited me to make a speech to the 
men. As well as my memory serves me I spoke as 
follows : — 

"Gentlemen, — We are now going into battle against 
fearful odds, — eight to one, — and with artiller}^ all on the 
enemy's side. The artillery can't harm us under this bank. 
We have nothing to fear as long as we can prevent them 
from coming to a hand-to-hand fight. Keep cool ; let us not 
shoot as they advance on us till we can see the whites of 
their eyes ; and be sure to shoot every man that has an 
ofliicer's hat or sword. This will prevent them from coming 
into close quarters. Let us shoot low, and my impression 
before God is, that we shall win this fight." 

Just at this time the cannon fired, and the grape shot 
struck the tops of the trees. The Mexicans now advanced 
upon us, under a splendid puff of music, the ornaments, 
guns, spears and swords glistening in plain view. Captain 



170 FLOWERS ANB FRUITS. 

Hays' attention, as they drew near, was directed to the fact 
that they were intending to flank us above, and pour a rak- 
ing fire down our line. Accordingly, ten men, w^ith double- 
barrel shot-guns, were detached, and stationed above to pre- 
vent it. Some of the Mexican infantry were within thirty 
feet of us before a gun was fired. At the first fire the 
whole of them fell to the ground. My first impression 
was that they were all killed. Soon, however, all that 
were able rose to their feet, but showed no disposition 
to advance further upon our line. Not a sword nor officer's 
hat made its appearance after we had been fighting five 
minutes. The ground on which we stood was of such a 
character that we could step back two or three paces and 
stand straight up to load our guns. The battle lasted but 
a little while. Gleneral Woll was at his cannon on the top 
of the hill, looking on ; his arliller}^ was of no use, being 
right in the rear of his infantry, and our men sheltered by 
the embankment. He could see his men falling vv^hile the 
Texans were entirely out of sight. The horn sounded a 
retreat, and the Mexicans ran away in great confusion. 
It was with great difficulty that the Texans were prevented 
from pursuing. 

As the firing ceased along our line, the roar of artillery 
and rifles was heard in the rear of the Mexican army. We 
understood at once that the engagement was with reinforce- 
ments, making their way to relieve us. By the time we 
were up and in order to go to their assistance the firing 
ceased, and vfe knew that the Mexicans were successful. 

Captain Dawson from Lagrange, on the reception of 
Colonel Caldwell's dispatch, r.aised a company of fifty-two 
men, including himself, and came up in time to hear our 
guns in the fight just described. The Mexicans, being be- 
tween us, discovered him on the open field and surrounded 



WAE. 171 

him. He rallied his men in a grove of mesquit bushes, 
and fought with such desperation that the Mexicans 
withdrew from the range of his guns and turned the 
artillery upon him. As there was no chance to escape, and 
no chance to do the enemy any damage, under the murderous 
fire of the cannon, he raised a white flag. The men threw 
down their guns, and for a while the Mexicans disregarded 
the surrender, and continued to send the missiles of death. 
Captain Dawson was cut down with the flag in his hand. 
When the firing had ceased, thirty-five Texans out of fifty- 
two lay dead on the field ; fifteen were spared, and held 
as prisoners ; two made their escape. My eldest son was 
one of the prisoners. This little body of men punished the 
Mexicans severely, during the engagement with small arms, 
before the artillery was turned upon them. 

General Woll reassembled his forces about one hour b}^ 
sun, and standing on his cannon where it was first planted, 
in plain view and in our hearing, made a glowing 
speech to his men. The huzzas from the Mexican army 
were mournful in our ears. We believed then, what we 
afterwards knew to be true, that our friends and relatives 
from the Colorado were the sufferers. We could not reach 
him with our guns, and it would not do to expose ourselves 
on the prairie. The Mexicans moved oflT towards San 
Antonio about sunset, and spent the night carrying in and 
burying their dead in the city. A large number was killed, 
the exact estimate it was impossible for us to make. 
Caldvfell lost only one man killed ; no prisoners ; three 
wounded. 

The night was passed upon the battle-ground, — dark, 
anxious night to me. I learned that my son, A. II. Morrell, 
was in the company defeated the evening before in our 
hearing. Was he dead? Was he a prisoner in the hands 



172 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

of our cruel oppressors? were questions that revolved 
through my mind all night long. Three men volunteered to 
go with me to the " Mesquit battle-ground," and at day- 
light we were in our saddles. My colonel and captain 
cautioned me to be careful, as the enemy would certainly 
keep out spies ; but the time for caution and fear with me 
had about passed. At sunrise we were on the fatal spot, 
examining carefully for the lost son, while two of my col- 
leagues stood guard. Thirty-five dead bodies of friends lay 
scattered and terribly mangled among the little cluster of 
bushes on the broad prairie. I recognized the body of 
nearly every one. Here were twelve men, heads of families, 
their wives widows, and their children orphans ; and here, 
too, lay dead the bodies of promising sons of my neighbors. 
The body of my son could not be found. The place was so 
horrible that two of the men with me rode away. One 
remained on guard while I continued my examination. A 
number of bodies v/ere turned over before I could recognize 
them. One or two of my neighbors' sons were so badly 
mangled that I could not recognize them at all. Supposing 
that one of these might be my son, I examined their feet 
for a scar that he had carried from childhood. By this time 
I was satisfied that he had either escaped or was among the 
prisoners. I then drew a pencil from my pocket, and took 
down the names of the dead, so that I might make a cor- 
rect report to the bereaved. 

The unfortunate man of Caldwell's command who was 
killed on Sunday was buried with the honors of war on 
Monday. His grave was dug with bowie-knives. During 
the fight, some Indians who came out vvith the Mexican 
army approached his horse, tied carelessly some distance 
from the horses of our command, and he left his post, 



WAR. 173 

against the order of bis captain, and attempted to save bis 
horse. He killed three of the Indians in the combat, and 
finally they killed him, and carried off the horse. This all 
occurred in plain view ; but we were forbidden to go to his 
relief, as he had disobeyed orders. 

Tuesday morning our little company of two hundred and 
two had increased to five hundred. A messenger-from San 
Antonio announced that the Mexicans had left for the west 
that morning, carrying the prisoners with them. The ques- 
tion of burying our dead, who fell under Captain Dawson 
and with him, came up. We had neither axe nor hoe, and 
finally decided to pursue the retreating enemy, regain if 
possible the prisoners, and at some future da}' gather up the 
bones of our dead and bury them at Lagrange. This was 
afterwards done, and a monument placed over them. 

Orders were given at once, and preparations made to pur- 
sue the retreating enemy. The Honorable Judge Hemphill 
accompanied me to San Antonio, to look after news from 
my boy, while the main army crossed the river above, arA 
went directly in pursuit of General Woll. We visited Mrs. 
Jakes and the English minister's wife, Mrs. Elliot, who had 
a list of the prisoners' names. My son, A. H. Morrell, was 
certainly among them. The Mexicans had robbed them of 
their clothing ; my son, on his arrival in San Antonio, was 
in his shirt-sleeves. Mrs. Elliot took a green blanket-coat 
off of her son, and put it on mine. This coat, he after- 
wards said, was the means of saving his life. My son v/as 
reported b}^ these ladies as carrying a wound from a lance 
in the engagement, though not serious. After he surren- 
dered, two Mexicans pursued him with lances. As a lance 
was hurled at him, he dodged it, but as it passed it glanced 
his left arm, near the shoulder. He only saved his life hy 



174 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

running in this defenceless condition round the horse of the 
Mexican colonel, Corasco, who drew his sword and drove 
his pursuers from him. We procured some provisions, what 
powder and lead our horses could carry with safety, and 
overtook Colonel Caldwell, camped on the Madina, some 
twenty-five miles from the city. 

Wednesday evening, September 21, the Texan arm}^ came 
up with General Woll's rear-guard at the Honda. Here a 
trap was laid for us. Our spies were out, right and left of 
the road and in advance. The rear-guard of the Mexicans 
was in the bottom, in a bend of the creek, and concealed. 
The Mexican general had offered five hundred dollars for 
the head of Captain Hays, and just at this time he came 
very near losing it. With all his vigilance he was here sur- 
prised. Luckey, a noble man, was riding by his side, on a 
finer-looking horse than Hays, and was shot through the 
right breast, the ball coming out at the point of the right 
shoulder. His horse ran about one hundred yards, and left 
his wounded rider on the ground. Captain Hays requested 
me to go to his relief, as he feared he was killed. Like all 
other severel}^ wounded men, he at once cried for water. 
Judge Hemphill fortunately had some at hand, and it was 
given him. Luckey did not die, as we feared he would, but 
survived this severe wound, and was afterwards a member 
of the Senate of the Republic. 

By this time Colonel Caldwell had formed a line of bat- 
tle, and as no one would volunteer to take care of Luckey, 
a man was detailed. A fight was at hand, and every man 
was aware of it, and ready for action. A call was made 
for volunteers, to increase Captain Hays' company to one 
hundred men, for the purpose of charging the cannon 
planted on the road four hundred yards in front. General 



WAii. 175 

Ma5''fielcl made a speech for volunteers, but not a man re 
sponcled. He was a man of ability, and could make a good 
speech, but his was the " voice of a stranger." Colonel 
Caldwell knew his men, and knew that speeches were not 
so much in demand as example. He knew that my son 
was a prisoner in the enemy's lines before us, and that 
Z. jST. Morrell's soul was fired as it never had been before. 
My colonel requested me to ride down the lines, and en- 
courage the men to come out. I galloped to the lower end 
of the line, with my old fur cap in m}'' hand, recognizing 
and being recognized by almost ever}^ man I passed. 
The feelings of that moment need no description, Tiiey 
could not be described. My dear boy was upon the hill, 
perhaps in irons, and unless that cannon was charged and 
silenced, the sad news must be borne to his mother, that 
our Allen was in chains, in a Mexican dungeon. Halting 
in an eligible position, so as to be seen and heard by al- 
most the entire command, I waved my fur cap, and spoke 
about as follows : — 

" Boys, — You have come out here from one to two hun- 
dred miles from home, to hunt the elephant. He has been 
running from joi\ for two da3^s. We have got him in close 
quarters, just up on that hill. We want forty men to join 
Hays' company. With one hundred men, we can success- 
fully charge and capture the cannon, and turn the grape 
shot the other way. The old fellow can't hurl his missiles 
of death at us more than two or three times before we 
will stop his breath. Besides, the prisoners — "and as 
I stood pointing mj- finger voices were heard along the 
lines, " Come, boys, we will go with him." More than the 
number called for were soon in line and ready for the 
3harge. 



176 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

We bad the greatest confidence in our chosen leaders, 
Hays and Henry McCulloch. Both were cool, daring men ; 
neither of them I suppose was over twenty-five years of 
age. Captain Hays was, by profession, a surveyor. His 
great courage and deliberation were first discovered while 
engaged in his profession. Six men, with Hays as their 
leader, were out surveying a short time previous, when a 
body of Indians attacked them. The determined young 
surveyor, with compass in one hand and gun in the other, 
continued to take his observations, and at the same time 
fire upon the Indians every time they drew near. The 
work was not ceased till the line was finished. This in- 
cident had much to do in securing his first position as 
captain. 

Henry McCulloch had always been among the foremost 
to meet the enemy on former occasions, as cool and daring 
as our captain, and greatly endeared to the men by his 
uniform kindness and social qualities. He was not easily 
roused, but when stirred was powerfully wrought upon, 
and had not the fear of mortal man before his ej^es. 

Under this leadership we faced that cannon, while re- 
ceiving orders when to discharge our guns, and at what 
point to countermarch, eagerly waiting the forward com- 
mand. At length the shrill, clear voice of our captain 
sounded down the line, — "Charge !" 

Away went the company up a gradual ascent in quick 
lime. In a moment the cannon roared, but according to 
Mexican custom overshot us. The Texan yell followed the 
cannon's thunder, and so excited the Mexican infantry, 
placed Id position to pour a fire down our lines, that they 
overshot us ; and b}^ the time the artillery hurled its canis- 
ter the second time, shot-guns and pistols were freely used 



WAE. 177 

by the Texans. Every man at the cannon was killed, as 
the company passed it. How many of the enemy were 
killed and wounded besides these, we had no means of as- 
certaining. Had the Mexicans charged us along the road 
we followed, and given us the position they occupied, but 
veiy few would have returned to tell the story ; but, strange 
to say, they were so frightened that they entirely overshot 
us, killing only one horse, and wounding one man. My 
friend Arch Gibson, one of my nearest neighbors on the 
Guadalupe, who was riding on my right, lost his right 
cheek-bone. To prevent him from falliug and being- 
trampled to death, I threw mj right arm round him, seiz- 
ing the rein of his bridle with my right, and guiding his 
horse and mine at the same time, bore him safely to the 
rear, in a speechless condition. His first cry was for 
water, Vviiich was furnished as quickly as possible. He re- 
covered from his wound, and was afterwards doubly my 
friend. 

The night was now coming on, and the firing ceased. 
Most of the men were anxious to charge the lines, and 
reach the prisoners at all hazards. Ben. McCuUoch, who 
had acted as captain in other engagements, a gallant and 
safe leader, but who from some cause did not get into our 
organization in time to be placed in command, after an ex- 
amination of the enemj^'s position, advised that the attack 
be postponed till morning. A sad night to me it was. 
AYill the prisoners be retaken ? Or shall they wear out a 
miserable existence, amidst the rattliug of chains? God 
forbid that any minister of the blessed Jesus should ever 
again be driven to such desperation as I then felt ! I was 
prepared for almost anything, as the morning will show. 

During the night General Woll moved off in our hearing, 



178 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

and in the morning at sunrise his drum sounded in my 
ears about six miles on the prairie beyond. The men were 
called up early in the morning, knowing that a council of 
war had been held, and that Caldwell was advised to lead his 
command in pursuit of the enemy. Feeling anxious to 
overtake the enemy early in the day, lest the coming night 
might interfere with the capture, as on the evening before, 
I did all I could to assist both Hays and Caldwell to get 
the men ready. 

General Mayfield, who had made an unsuccessful speech 
the evening before, called the men around him and com- 
menced a harangue. He told them that we were in an 
enemy's country, that the Mexicans more than doubled our 
number, and that General Woll was hourly expecting a 
large reinforcement. In the midst of these dangers he 
doubted exceedingly the wisdom of the pursuit. His design 
evidently was to kill time and discourage the expedition, 
in the same speech. My indignation now passed all bounds, 
and it would not be too much to say that I was absolutely 
furious. He had no command, and I had none ; so that 
as private soldiers we were on equal footing. In the midst 
of his speech I interrupted him, saying that the time had 
passed for long speeches, and that I, for one, would be bet- 
ter pleased to hasten to the fight and recapture of the 
prisoner boys. I pointed to the baggage wagons and the 
cannon we had captured the evening before, and urged the 
pursuit. Seeing that the men were many of them about to 
waver, and being in perfect sympathj^ with my cause, the 
Honorable Judge Hemphill, and others of like spirit, wept 
at my side. In spite of all that Colonel Caldwell, Captain 
Hays, and others could do, the contest was abandoned. It 
required at this time the combined strength of our little 



WAii. 179 

army to compete with the enemy, and as Mayfield had suc- 
ceeded in intimidating quite a number of the command, it 
became necessary to give up the pursuit. General Woll 
reported to his government that he lost on this campaign 
six hundred men ; so that at the time we allowed him to 
escape he did not have more than eight hundred men. 
Five hundred such Texans as ours could easily have killed 
and captured the whole army. This was certainly one of 
the most disgraceful affairs that ever occurred in Texas, and 
this I suppose is the reason why so little has been said of 
it in the public prints of the country. The poor boj^s were 
caiTied to prison and chains, and we saw not their faces 
again for two 3'ears. 

We now dispersed in small companies and took up the 
line of march for our respective homes. Gladly w^ould I 
have hid myself from my neighbors, if duty would have 
permitted, rather than rehearse the sad story relative to 
their dead, and the manner in which they were necessarilj^ 
left on the " mesquit " battle ground to be devoured by 
the crow and the wolf. 

Heaven 1 hope has forgiven me for the animosity I felt 
toward the man that made the long speech. Twice after- 
wards he approached me in a friendly manner. The first 
time was on the return home. I replied to him by laying 
both my hands on my gun, forbidding him to speak another 
word. This ma}- have been wrong, but I did it.* The 
second time he approached me was on the streets of 

* I relate this last incident, and some others, partly in self-defence, 
against the charges implied in some pleasant anecdotes told among 
my friends, in which there are exaggerations, jind many things 
derogatory to ministerial character. Facts are given in all these 
cases in accordance with the most rigid taxation of my memorJ^ 



180 . FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

Brenham, Washington County, Texas, years afterwards. 
God had caused my poor heart, in the mean time, to bow 
beneath the greatest affliotion in life, and I tendered 
General Mayfield my hand, and endeavored to look forgive- 
ness, — I did not feel like talking. My wife was in the 
grave, hastened there prematurely, as I believed, by the 
grief of two years, in consequence of the chains her eldest 
child wore in a foreign land. When he questioned me as 
to my feelings towards him, faithfulness required me to say, 
that there were some wounds made in life that could, not 
with safet}^ be probed, even when they were old ; and that 
tMs was one of them. 



CHAPTEE XYI 



AFFLICTION. 1843. 




ELDOM in the histoiy of human affairs does a 
people pass through a more gloomy period than 
we experienced in the fall of 1842. Widows 
among us wept and refused to be comforted ; 
mothers mourned in consequence of the imprisoned and 
dead, and there was anxiety lest the widow and orphan 
should suffer for bread. Our crops on the Quadalupe were 
all consumed, whether in the field or in the crib, by the 
passing soldiery, and to us signs appeared foreboding war 
on a large scale. As, however, a calm follows a tempest, 
and as sometimes the liighest jo}^ succeeds the deepest sad- 
ness, so Texas passed the last trials, in September, of an 
invasion of her territory by any large force of her enemies. 
Occasionally afterwards there were conflicts between small 
parties, but this was the beginning of better daj^s for the 
Eepublic. The dim rainbow of promised peace very shortly 
spanned the heavens, and as the sound of war gradually 
died away, the gospel trumpet sent her silvery notes across 
our plains. Hence, in the future, we will be permitted to 
record less of war, and more of religion. 

The monthly meeting was just at hand, and delegates 
were appointed to the Union Association, to meet with the 
church at Washington, on the Brazos Eiver. fhe church 
first organized there had disbanded, but another organiza- 

181 



182 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

tion had been formed, under the ministiy of brother William 
Tryon. Arriving at brother Farquahar's, close by the place, 
we were informed that the Association would not meet. 
The people and brethren at Washington, in consequence of 
the great poverty of the country, had decided that they 
could not sustain it. I felt considerably provoked, and 
gave vent to a little of my displeasure. Having just re- 
turned from the western campaign, where we had together 
starved three days at a time in defence of the country, 
patience under the circumstances was more than the breth- 
ren, in their charity, expected of me. My language, as well 
as I remember, was that "A set of Baptists that could not 
live on beef alone, in times like these, through the short 
session of an association, were not worth shucks." Breth- 
ren now would get offended with such talk ; but we did not 
mind it much then. If a brother got a little mad about any- 
thing we did, we just let him blow out, knowing that he 
would feel better when he got in good humor. We held a 
little conference with brethren Tr3^on, Baylor, and others, 
and called a meeting of the association at Mount Gilead, 
near the present locality of Brenham, Washington County. 

The association met at the place appointed on Saturday, 
the twenty-sixth of November, 1842. The business trans- 
acted and the acquaintances made at this meeting greatly 
encouraged us, notwithstanding the distressed condition of 
the country at large. 

Here I met for the first time Elder Hosea Garrett, just 
from South Carolina, his native State, whose face has 
appeared at nearly every session of the Union Association 
since, and whose counsel has been as wise, upon the whole, 
and receiv«d at the hands of the brethren as much consid- 
eration, in all pur deliberative bodies, as that of any other 



AFFLICTION. 

man that ever came to Texas as a Baptist preacher. At 
first, he was considered more modest and retiring in his 
manners than was best in such an era of our history ; but 
with a warm and generous impulse he steadily maintained 
the dignit}^ of th(5 Christian character, and won his way to 
confidence and position. Although he did not enjoy the 
privileges of an early education, he possessed the rare qual- 
ity of good common sense. He has ever been the true and 
steady friend of our literary institutions, as all his past 
record shows ; and although as a man, and as a preacher, he 
has at no period of our histor}^ appeared as a blazing comet, 
yet as a steadily shining star he has all the time faithfully 
reflected his borrowed light. 

Seven years with me had passed, — years of war, attended 
with frequent changes of plans and locations, — and, wear}^ 
of frontier life, my mind led me to seek repose. The wel- 
fare of my helpmate required it. Her spirit was crushed 
by the previous loss of our elder daughter ; and now that 
the elder son was in chains, and in the hands of a semi- 
savage people, her health was rapidly declining, and I could 
under these circumstances no longer join my countrymen in 
absences from home. My way was by no means clear. 
The church I first organized at Washington failed, and now 
the frontier church at Gonzales was scattered ; my farming 
and financial operations all had failed, and in the midst of 
my distresses, like Jacob, after the loss of Joseph and 
Simeon, and the demand for Beujamin also, I could but cry 
out, " All these are against me ; " and faith revealed no 
reason why these things should fail to " bring down my 
gra}^ hairs with sorrow to the grave." We moved to the 
city of Houston, and after a few weeks of patient search for 
a field of usefulness, in connection with means of support, 



1^" FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

I located the family near the mouth of the Trinity River. 
Here I preached what I could among the scattered settle- 
ments, and waited the developments of the country. 

My cup was full of sorrow, but the Father of mercies and 
goodness determined that it was best for me and for his 
glory to make it run over. The partner of my bosom sick- 
ened, suffered long, and died. The son she longed to see 
again was seen by her no more on earth. She went to 
sleep with clearest hopes of heaven. Had it been God's 
will, I could then cheerfully have taken the three remaining 
children to join her and my Master on the other shore. 

In m}^ age I have nerved myself, with the blessing of 
God, to write the trials of mine and others, endured in 
1842. Clouds of gloom hang so heavily around all the 
recollections of 1843, in the west, that I must leave its 
records to others. I can't write them. 




CHAPTEE XVII. 

DISSENSIONS AND TROUBLE IN EASTERN TEXAS. 1843. 

S the star of empire has ordinarily made its way 
west, and as it has been a custom to go from west 
to east in search of light and civilization, it may 
appear strange to the common reader why Eastern 
Texas made slower progress, in its moral and religious 
developments, than Middle and Western Texas. "West of 
the Brazos River, previous to 1843, we find a number of 
churches organized, and an association of churches meeting 
annually, after 1840, with several earnest, consecrated 
preachers. It was three j^ears after the Union Association 
was organized in Washington County before the Sabine 
Association was organized in Nacogdoches County. 

Although Elder Isaac Reed came to Texas and settled 
near the town of Nacogdoches in 1834, more than a year 
before I went to the west, and notwithstanding his ability 
as a preacher, his zeal and personal piet}^, no church was 
organized previous to 1838, and after this, for several 
years, but little success crowned the work of this good man 
and his associates. With Elder Reed I was personally 
acquainted, and labored with him in the western district of 
Tennessee. He there served as moderator of an associa- 
tion ; many baptisms and large success attended his minis- 
try there. As the common enemy did not distress by 
invasions that part of the country where his labors were 
first given in Texas, there must necessarily have been some 

185 



186 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

reason otherwise why the cause he maintained advanced so 
slowly. The real cause certainly existed in the peculiar 
state of the society bordering on the east. Good people, 
it is true, lived there ; but a large part of the population 
was less easily impressed with the gospel than the families 
in the west,, who were constantly being driven from one 
point to another by the Indians and Mexicans. 

It is well known that a large tract of the country north- 
west of Nacogdoches was in possession of the Cherokee 
Indians previous to 1839, with but few white settlers 
among them. It is also a notorious fact that all. that por- 
tion of the country bordering on the Sabine River was for 
a great number of j^ears known as neutral ground. The 
boundary line between Texas and the United States had 
not been definitely agreed upon. A large number of refu- 
gees and desperadoes infested this neutral territory. They 
crossed the Sabine River to escape justice in the United 
States, and recrossed it if pursued, for violations of law, 
by the Mexican authorities. The little river, winding its 
way through this neutral ground, was long considered the 
natural savior of thieves, and robbers, and murderers. A 
counterfeit spirit grew luxuriantly on that soil. In 1838, 
when the Texas land office was opened, and certificates 
began to make their appearance and gradually increase in 
value, this band of Satan commenced the manufacture of a 
large amount of false certificates, which were sent west and 
put upon the market. The writer unfortunately purchased 
one of these certificates for a friend, for five hundred dol- 
lars. The society of that section was long cursed with the 
presence and influence of this band, which was composed 
of men of intelligence, and who were sworn enemies to 
morality and religion. Their imprints were left upon the 



DISSE^iSIONS AND TROUBLE IN EASTERN TEXAS. 187 

rising j^outh of the country, and it was not in the power of 
man to prevent it. 

In 1842, the scheme was exposed to the public gaze, and 
a contest opened between honesty and rascality, in Shelby, 
and the adjoining counties. Blood was spilled on several 
occasions, and the courts, instead of executing the laws, 
fled for safety, leaving society in a fearful state of anarchy 
and confusion. A party of citizens arose in arms to check 
the infringements of the lawless bands roving through the 
country. This party, however,- was only a mob, and prose- 
cuted their cause with so much zeal that great injustice 
was in some cases dealt out to innocent citizens. These 
were called Regulators. Another body of men was soon 
organized, to oppose the extreme measures of the Regula- 
tors, and these were called Moderators. These parties con- 
tinued their strife for several years. It was almost impos- 
sible for any man to remain in that section of the country, 
without taking sides with one or the other of these parties. 
In 1844, General Houston sent a body of militia to the 
scene of action, which succeeded in influencing the parties 
to lay down their arms and submit to the laws. Through 
all these scenes of bitterness and conflict a few earnest 
servants of the Most High toiled on, and with some suc- 
cess. ■■ ' ■" 

Elder Isaac Reed settled nine miles north of the town of 
Nacogdoches, in 1834, and preached as regularly as he 
could in that vicinity till 1838, when the Union Baptist 
Church, which still lives, was organized, with seven mem- 
bers. Elder R. G-. Green assisted in the organization. 
Elder Reed, the pastor of this little flock, although full of 
the mission spirit, was opposed to boards and missionary 
societies, and the church, called Union, was at first ap- 



188 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

posed to missions. It afterwards became a missionary 
body, and is yet. 

Elder Asa Wright, who still lives in Western Texas, 
emigrated to Texas in 1839, and labored with the^ writer in 
the same j^ear, on the Colorado, in that precious rcAival at 
Plum Grove, where both his sons, J. V. and Wm. T. 
Wright, were convicted of sin. He was a man of earnest- 
ness and power. Owing to the troubles visited upon the 
settlements in the Colorado valley, he moved back to the 
east the same year, and co-operated with Elder Isaac 
Reed. 

Elder Lemuel Herrin moved to Texas in 1841, and 
settled in Harrison County. Under his ministry a few 
Baptists were gathered together, and the Border church, 
Harrison Count}^, was organized with eight members in 
1843. Brethren Herrin and Reed composed the presbytery 
at the organization. 

In the year 1839, the old Union church, in Nacogdoches 
County, enjoyed a revival meeting, under the labors of its 
beloved pastor ; when quite a number were baptized, — the 
first ever baptized in the east. It will be remembered that 
the same year the writer was baptizing in the Colorado ; 
and while the east and west joined hands under God in this 
glorious work, it is a question I cannot decide, whether Isaac 
Reed or Z. N. Morrell baptized the first candidate in Texas. 
In spite of the opposition of the prince of the power of 
the air, that worketh in the children of disobedience ; in 
spite of his minions, thieves, counterfeiters and desperadoes ; 
and in spite of that reign of terror, during the career of 
regulators and moderators in the east, the gospel was made 
the power of God unto salvation, and Christ's servants re- 
joiced in the midst of their trouble. Other churches besides 



DISSENSIONS AND TROUBLE IN EASTERN TEXAS. 189 

Border and Union were being organized, and in 1843 there 
was a necessity felt for a general organization, which 
resulted in the formation of the Sabine Baptist Associa- 
tion. 

This body was organized in November, 1843, at the old 
Union church, in Nacogdoches County, with five churches. 
Messengers were present from Union and Mount Ziou, 
Nacogdoches County; Border and Bethel, Harrison 
County ; and Bethel, Sabine County. The ministers who 
took part in this organization were Isaac Reed, Lemuel 
Herrin, and Asa Wright. The churches composing this 
body were small, but among them was an aggressive 
element, notwithstanding the internal commotions from 
which the}^ suffered. In 1846, their minutes show a mem- 
bership of three hundred, with Isaac Reed as moderator, 
and in 1847 thej^ numbered five hundred and twenty-seven, 
with William Britton as moderator. - While, in the associa- 
tion and among the churches west of the Brazos the ad- 
mirers of Alexander Campbell were giving us trouble, the 
brethren east of the Trinity were suffering sorel}^ in con- 
sequence of the anti-missionary element. One extreme, if 
pressed persistently, usually begets another, and this fur- 
nished no exception to the rule. Antinomianism, founded 
on predestination and election, pressing the eternal pur- 
poses of God, without the proper consideration of the 
means leading to the end, drove some brethren to the op- 
posite extreme, who, under the influence of Arminianism, 
waged a relentless war against their " iron jacket " brethren. 
These opposing elements, both alike at war with truth, 
finally resulted in the dissolution of the Sabine Association, 
at its sixth or seventh session, held with Mount Olivet 
church, Cherokee County. The anti-missionary and free- 



190 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

will elements, went off into small and separate organiza- 
tions. The mission element rallied under the auspices of 
the Soda Lake Association, which we will notice at the 
proper time. 

In 1844, a convention was called by the regular Predes- 
tinarian Baptists of the East, which met with the Antioch 
church, in Jasper County, on the eighth day of November. 
Five churches were represented in this convention, viz. : — 
Antioch, Louisiana ; and Salem, Antioch, Harmony and 
Mount Olive, Texas. This convention appointed, the same 
day, a committee to report articles of faith and a constitu- 
tion, which report was read and adopted on the morning of 
the ninth. The caption of the report read as follows : — 
" The Articles of Faith of the Louisiana and Texas Regu- 
lar Predestinarian Baptist Association." 

Elder Levi A. Durham was their first moderator. He 
was a man of great originality ; thought strictly for him- 
self on all questions of theology, and boldly preached what 
he believed. I have met but few men in life so well versed 
in the Scriptures. He was a man full of zeal in advocating 
his views, and during m}^ intercourse with him, I was favor- 
ably impressed with his personal piety. In 1845, about a 
year after the organization just alluded to, I met him at 
Owensville, in Robinson County, during the session of the 
court, brother R. E. B. Baylor presiding as judge. We 
preached alternately for several nights, and in these ser- 
mons discussed fully those points of doctrine relative to 
which we differed. The judge and the bar manifested much 
interest in this discussion, giving us their regular and ear- 
nest attention. Elder Durham opposed, with all his might, 
all secret organizations, benevolent societies, and mission- 
ary boards, giving his special attention to Baptist organi- 



DISSEKSIONS AKD TROUBLE IN EASTEBN TEXAS. 191 

zations that granted membership upon a moneyed basis. 
While he thus opposed the plans upon which we pro- 
posed to send missionaries into destitute fields, in the very 
midst of his opposition he would occasionally manifest as 
earnest a missionar}^ spirit as those who clamored loudly 
for boards and money. He was not opposed to spreading 
the gospel, but the plan upon which we proposed to do it. 
That the association over which he presided should op- 
pose missionary organizations, we would naturally expect. 
The eleventh article of its constitution reads as follows : — 
" Having for years past viewed the distress that the fol- 
lowing institutions or societies have brought upon the 
churches, that is to say, Missionary Effort Societies, 
Bible, Baptist State Conventions, Temperance, Sunday- 
school Unions, Tract, Ministerial, Education Societies, and, 
in a word, all the human combinations and societies of the 
day, set up in order to advance the Redeemer's kingdom, as 
inimical to the peace of Zion, and calculated in their nature 
to cause schism ; we therefore declare non-fellowship with 
all such." 

The sixth annual meeting of this body makes a showing 
upon its manutes of only six churches, with a total mem- 
bership of sevent3^-three ; Elder B. Garlington, moderator. 
The minutes of its tenth session, held with Salem church, 
Tyler County, show the same number of churches, and a 
smaller membership ; Elder R. F. G-ibson, moderator. It is 
painful thus to witness the dcline of churches, over which 
good and true men have the oversight. But as Christ when 
on earth was led by a mission spirit, and infused the same 
into his early followers, we should ever be impressed with 
the great truth that the Christian spirit is aggressive and 
consequently missionary. 



192 FLOWERS AND FHUITS. 

The extreme measures adopted by these brethren iu 
their opposition to all mission organizations drove other 
brethren off to the other extreme, even into fanaticism, un- 
der the name of " Free Will Baptists." 

These gave man more to do than the Bible allowed, 
while the others placed less upon his shoulders than it re- 
quired of him. The exact date of the organization of the 
" Free Will Missionary Baptist Association " I cannot 
give, but the minutes of October, 1850, show that it met 
with the Ayish Bayou church, in San Augustine County, 
Elder Gr. W. Slaughter as moderator. The churches com- 
posing the Association in 1850 were four, — Ayish Baj^ou, 
Bethel, Milam and Sardis. So zealously did these brethren 
advocate instrumentalities, that the following resolution 
appears in the minutes alluded to : — 

" Resolved^ That this association recommend to the 
prayerful consideration of all the friends of the Redeemer, 
that, in place of building tents out of wood on such occa- 
sions, each head of a family make a tent of cloth, and 
take their wagon, with forage enough to feed their horses 
for a few days, and enough of light diet to feed their fami- 
lies, and approach the door of the sanctuary, as the Israel- 
ites did the tabernacle, and take God at his word, and lay 
hold of his promises, and see if he will not pour you out a 
blessing, that will fill your heart with gladness, and make 
you rejoice in place of mourn when you come to press a 
dying pillow." 

Trembling under a sense of their responsibility, and 
aroused by the inactivity of their predestinarian brethren 
in their very midst, the messengers of these four churches 
passed a second resolution in favor of missionary combi- 
nations and extensive operations : — 



nissEN'sioys and trouble in eastern texas. 193 

" Resolved by this association, That it is our prayerful 
desire to see three thousand six hundred missionary boards 
organized in our bounds, and see flowing therefrom, as a 
river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, one 
hundred and seventy thousand itinerant preachers, such as 
Paul and Silas, going forth iii the name of Israel's God, 
conquering and to conquer, till iniquity becomes ashamed 
and hides its head. Then will the church of the living 
God come together like Solomon's temple, without the 
sound of a hammer." 

Distressed by what they termed illiberality on the part 
of the Regular Predestinarian Baptists, touching church 
■ order and the atonement, they aspired to an enlarged lib- 
erality, and passed another resolution : — ■ 

" Resolved^ That the ministers and deacons of other as- 
sociations are respectfully invited to be in attendance in 
all our churches and meetings that are convenient, and that 
all Christian ministers shall receive a cordial welcome in 
our stands, at any time, of every denomination." 

But little progress was ever made by this organization. 
The leaders and followers alike possessed a zeal without 
knowledge, and if the}'' have maintained an organization in 
later years, I have been unable to find any published state- 
ments of the fact. 

The reasons now are plain to every reader why the cause 
of Christian missions and education in the east made such 
little progress, previous to 1850, among the Baptists. The 
faith and practice held by some of the most influential early 
ministers, as shown in this chapter, had much to do with it. 
The terrible social disorders through which they passed, 
previous to 1844, and the bitterness that followed for years 
afterwards, were obstructions of gi-eat magnitude. The 



194 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

conflict of extremes that hung around the early churches, 
and the old association, at every meeting, were impediments 
calculated to discourage and prevent organized effort ; and 
in some parts of the east, till this day, these old influences 
are still at work, greatly hindering the prosperity of the 
churches. No people, in any country, free from persecu- 
tions unto death, have struggled against more formidable 
difficulties in the way of progress in building up the Baptist 
cause than these people, and yet a large number have held 
steadily on to old landmarks of doctrine and aggressive 
practice, as will be seen in the future development of their 
history as a denomination. 



CHAPTEE XVIII. 

ORGANIZATION IN MIDDLE TEXAS. 1844. 

^HE prospect of an early settlement of the difficulties 

//j ^ between Texas and Mexico was very faA^orable in 
V^^J/ the beginning of 1844. The question of annexa- 
tion to the United States was receiving the earnest atten- 
tion of both governments, and emigration to the Republic 
was determined upon and put into execution on an exten- 
sive scale. The government, through her agents, under the 
pacification policy of General Houston, formed a treaty of 
peace with a number of the most hostile and troublesome 
tribes of Indians. Our finances, under this administration, 
were in a far better condition, and everything indicated a 
better state of things. 

Emerging from eight years of war and reviewing the 
scenes through which I had passed, disappointments, re- 
movals, afflictions, in person and famil}^, and the loss of 
every crop I planted, my path appeared behind me through 
deep waters and fiery trials. The waters had not overflowed 
me, and the fires had not consumed me, and with a heart 
full of gratitude to Him who walked in the presence of Neb- 
uchadnezzar, with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in the 
midst of the fiery furnace, and who, walking upon the water 
himself, caught the hand of a sinking Peter and restored 
him to his place, I buckled my armor on, and, with a fixed 
determination to fight his battles while I lived, went forth 

195 



196 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

in what I supposed to be the line of duty. With a full reali- 
zation of the fact, that the sparse settlements would very 
soon be populous neighborhoods, in need of churches and a 
regular ministry, I sold out my little estate at the mouth of 
the Trinity, and gave myself exclusively to the work, com- 
mencing at the Providence church, Washington Count}^ 

Here I met my son, A. H. Morrell, concerning whose 
capture by the Mexicans under General Woll, in 1842, I 
have written in another chapter. For nearly two years he 
had been absent as a prisoner, during most of which time 
he was wearing chains in Perote, Mexico. In 1842, in con- 
sequence of the brutal treatment of American prisoners in 
Mexico, Texas requested the appointment, by the United 
States, of a special minister to visit Mexico. As the cap- 
tives had many friends about the capitol who urged the 
assistance of the United States, President Tyler appointed 
General Waddy Thompson, who promptly repaired to Mex- 
ico ; and through the inflaence of this minister my son and 
a number of others were released, early in 1844, and sent 
to New Orleans. On his arrival he of course rejoiced in 
being permitted to walk unmolested the streets of an 
American city ; but, nevertheless, in his ragged and penni- 
less condition, he needed friends, and found them. Of 
whatever sin I may have been guilty in the past, God has 
saved me, in the midst of my trials, from the sin of ingrati- 
tude. Gratitude lingers in my bosom still to my old friend 
and brother, H. C. Mclntja-e, of Brenham, Washington 
County, Texas, for the kind attentions rendered m^'^ boy, in 
providing comfortable quarters for him in the city, and lend- 
ing pecuniary aid in his passage to Texas ; also to Elder 
Whipple, of the Methodist Episcopal church, for pecuniary 
assistance on his trip from Houston to Washington County. 



ORGANIZATION IN MIDDLE TEXAS. 197 

The emotions with which I met my boy cannot be described, 
and only those can appreciate them who have been in like 
circumstances. 

Before deciding which shonld be the field of my labor, I 
felt inclined to revisit the valley of the Colorado, and com- 
mune with the brethren at Plum Grove and surrounding 
country. Here everything was vs^earing a brighter prospect. 
Immigration was lending encouragement to the little bands 
of Christ's disciples, and the progress of Christianity and 
civilization in that lovely country was plainly visible. 
Elder K. E. B. Baylor, then residing at Lagrange, accom- 
panied me to Colonel Richard Jarman's, some seventeen 
miles sonth-east, where we preached for several days and 
organized a church. One was received for baptism, and 
after an nrgent solicitation on my part brother Baylor con- 
sented to administer the ordinance. He may have admin- 
istered the ordinance before, but the impression on my 
mind is that it was the first. Greatly encouraged with 
the prospect, religiously, w^est of Brazos, my mind was im- 
pressed strongly that my labors were in demand in the 
county of Montgomery, which then extended from the 
Brazos to the Trinity River, and embraced at that time all 
that territory now included in the counties of Grimes, 
Walker, Madison and Montgomery. 

I visited, as rapidly as I could, a number of the most im- 
portant points in this region of country, the present 
locality of Anderson, Colonel Shannon's, Montgomery, 
Danville and Huntsville, inquiring after Baptists, and con- 
sidering the facilities and difficulties relative to a general 
organization. The countr}^ was being rapidly settled, and 
large congregations met us at every point. Many of the 
difl&culties, related in connection with organization east 



198 FLOWEItS AND FRUITS. 

and west, were met with in what we call middle Texas. 
Although these Baptists had no discipline save the New 
Testament, and, in keeping with the true church in all ages 
of the Christian history, rejected the traditions of men, and 
insisted upon organization under the revealed laws of 
Christ, yet, coming as they did from so many different locali- 
ties, and surrounded in the new country with such a diver- 
sity of interests, they were all fall of notions. Times and 
localities for organizations, with some slight differences on 
doctrines, furnished the grounds of disagreement ; but gener- 
ally there was an earnest desire manifest to organize 
churches and secure the privileges of a regular ministry. 
Outside of Galveston and Houston there was not, at this 
time, a single Baptist church between the Trinity and 
Brazos E-ivers, from their springs in the mountains to the 
Galf of Mexico, that I had then, or yet have, any knowl- 
edge of, unless there was near Springfield a little anti- 
missionary organization, and my impression is that this 
body was formed at a later day. 

Elder James Huckins came as a missionary to Galveston 
in 1840, and on the thirtieth day of June, the same year, 
constituted the church in Galveston, with twelve members. 
He was appointed to labor in the cities of Galveston and 
Houston. On the tenth day of April, 1841, he organized the 
church in Houston, with nine members. 

On my first trip through the country referred to, I met 
with Dr. R. Marsh, the old Baptist preacher, with whom I 
met in 1837, in Houston, and who was, with me and others, 
a member of the Vigilance Committee, organized the same 
year. He was then and had been living for two or three 
years in the vicinity where Danville is now located. He 
was 0V3r seventy 3^ears of age, and as his memory was fail- 



ORGANIZATION IN MIDDLE TEXAS. 199 

ing, had to be reminded by the brethren of his appointments. 
He had been in earlier life a man of ability as a preacher, 
and at this time, when he could fill his appointments, 
preached with a considerable degree of sj^stem and power. 
I labored with him in that vicinity frequently, during the 
year, and assisted in the organization of a little church, 
late in the season. The date of this organization I do not 
remember. It was dissolved in a few years, and reorganized 
by brother Creath, at Danville. 

The church at Huntsville is the oldest in middle Texas, 
and was organizod by Elders Thomas Horsely and Z. N. 
Morrell, with eight members, on the sixteenth clay of Sep- 
tember, 1844. T. G. Birdwell and wife are the only mem- 
bers now living who were in the organization. Bat few 
churches in the history of Baptists have maintained their 
organization so long and amid so many trials as the church 
at Huntsville. The writer served as pastor one year after 
the organization, and although the church has enjoyed the 
pastoral care of some of the best preachers that ever came 
to the State, — the zealous and untiring J. ^Y. D. Creath; 
the prudent and far-seeing G. W. Baines ; the clear- 
headed and warm-hearted S. G. Obrien, — yet, at different 
times, it has passed through ordeals that tested severely 
the faithfulness of its membership. Under it all, and 
through it all, it lived, and yet lives, to bear testimony for 
Christ. My association Avith this church as its hrst pastor, 
and the cords of friendship and fellowship woven in after 
years between my heart and the hearts of many of the mem- 
bers of that community, have always caused my prayers to 
ascend for that flock. 

The trials through which we passed, previous to the or- 
ganization, were only second to those endured at Washing- 



200 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

ton, in 1837. There was no organized effort to prevent the 
public ministry of the word, but a spirit of disorganization 
met us at the very beginning. Elder James Parker, the 
zealous advocate of what he called " primitive order," 
who was the brother of the famous Isaac Parker of " two- 
seed " notoriety, was preaching in the vicinity, and labor- 
ing to organize upon principles opposed to the mission 
work. With his principles and doctrines all dyed in waters 
of Antinomianism, he put forth the strength of his entire 
influence in opposition to organization upon correct princi- 
ples. On the ground was another Baptist preacher, by the 
name of McClenny, who was in his views decidedly mis- 
sionary, and willing to aid in organizing ; but he was un- 
fortunately, at the time, engaged in a terrible lawsuit ; 
his enemies charging him with being accessory to murder. 
While it was not our business to decide upon his guilt or 
innocence, he was evidently not "of good report among 
them that are without," and with all his affability and ap- 
parent humility he was an embarrassment to us instead of 
assistance. Last, but not least, was Elder P. G-. Green, 
who aided, in 1838, Elder Isaac Eeed in the organization 
of the old Union church, the first in Eastern Texas. I 
knew him in Tennessee, both as a lawyer and as a minis- 
ter, when he was in good standing in a Baptist church. 
Trouble assailed him of a domestic character, and, giving 
way to evil, he became a wreck in Texas. On his arrival 
in Iluntsville, and previous to any disorder on his part that 
we knew of, he was solicited to preach, and did so on sev- 
eral occasions. His talents commanded for him the respect 
of the community, for his ability was second to but few. 
But while in the enjo3^ment of this respect and confidence, 
the remembrance of his troubles in the old State drove him 



ORGANIZATION IN MIDDLE TEXAS. 201 

to maduess. Alas ! be visited the ante-chamber of the pit, 
sought to quench his trouble with liquid fire, and, in his 
struggle with John Barlej'corn, was wallowed like a brute 
in the streets. With all his education, he walked through 
the town in his frenzy, and, in the presence of the people, 
imagined himself a steam engine, to the great amusement 
of the wicked, and to the great morti"fication and discour- 
agement of the few pious souls who panted for an organ- 
ized effort against the powers of darkness. 

There were about twenty persons in what is now called 
Walker County calling themselves Baptists ; but it seemed 
almost impossible to get enough of them together who were 
willing to organize. Satan laughed at us in our efforts, 
and stirred up his imps in human form to tantalize us, by 
pointing at fashionable Baptist women in the ballroom, 
running the giddy round, excited by music, among some of 
the most abandoned characters. They probably did not 
know the real character of some of those who took them by 
the hand, in the midst of the whirl and the- dance ; but 
they ought to have known it. Troubles of vast amount 
have been met with in the histor}^ of many Baptist churches 
in Texas, in consequence of lax discipline with those who, 
by their actions, testify that they love the ballroom better 
than they love the church of Christ. The experience of the 
past should be warning for us in future. Who but a 
pioneer preacher can appreciate the embarrassments and 
feelings of fearful responsibility, in the midst of such pres- 
sure brought to bear by the enemy from so many direc- 
tions at one time? With earnest cries a few of us ap- 
proached the merc3'-seat, and, realizing that man could 
not drive these clouds away, we waited for God. 

Regularly the monthly appointments at Huntsville were 



202 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

filled, and although large congregations assembled on every 
occasion, months passed and no light appeared. Men were 
then guilty of collecting in the church-yard on the day set 
apart for worship, and instead of entering the house and 
giving respect to God and his servants, who labor for the 
public good, spent the sacred hours, to the great annoy- 
ance of the preacher and congregation, in rehearsing idle 
and mischievous things. If any man or youth, who reads 
these lines, is ever tempted to hang round the church-door 
during the hours of service, let me remind him that it is in 
bad taste, opposed to good manners, and a public nuisance. 
Either hide your face from the view of civilized people or 
take your seat quietly in the congregation, as a gentleman, 
till the service closes. 

Men disposed to spend the time in this way had more 
temptations in 1844 than now. Hundreds of interesting 
incidents were daily occurring all over the countr^r, and as 
the country was thinly settled in comparison with the pres- 
ent state of things, they could not meet so often then as 
now. We were repeatedly annoyed by a company of this 
kind, and as the summer was passing and fall approaching, 
they became bolder, and did not hesitate to tell anecdotes 
in the hearing of the audience. Preaching was then done 
in a little log-house. My mind was finally made up, at all 
hazards, to bring the disturbers in or drive them away. 
Rising on one occasion, announcing my text as usual, and 
leading off in my discourse, a clear voice fell upon our ears, 
relating an anecdote without. Suddenl}^ pausing, I called 
their attention and respectfully invited them in, with no 
success. A second attempt was made, and a second failure. 
Finally, I told them that as telling anecdotes was fashion- 
able and more interesting than preaching, if they would 



onr.AxrzATTON in middle texas. 203 

come to the door and give me a chance, and I did not beat 
the crowd telling an anecdote, that I would take down my 
sign and listen to them. The whole crowd came promptly 
to the door, and, as soon as they were quiet, their mouth- 
piece addressed me: " Parson, proceed." My proposition 
accepted, I was either compelled to relate an anecdote or 
succumb. The following occurred to me as suited to the 
occasion, and I related it : — 

" Doubtless there are some before me, who were with 
General Sam. Houston, eight years ago, at the battle of San 
Jacinto. You have doubtless heard of Tory Hill, on the 
opposite side of the river and in sight of the battle-ground, 
right near that beautiful spot occupied b}^ the residence of 
President Burnett. About one hundred and fifty tories 
banded themselves together and sent their names to General 
Santa Anna with the promise that when he had whipped 
General Houston and put down the rebellion, th^y would 
continue to be his loyal subjects. They assembled on Tory 
Hill, as the time drew near, and awaited the result of the 
struggle that was to decide the fate of the nation. Trem- 
bling with anxiety at every breath, those miserable, cow- 
ardly tories stood, — refugees from justice, murderers, 
thieves, perjurers, forgers, ' their consciences seared with a 
hot iron,' their eyelids smoked with the perfumes from the 
bottomless pit, — ?and with the stillness of death watching 
and waiting for the issue. The cavalry sallied out and 
brought on the dreadful attack ; the artillery roared ; the 
earth trembled. One of the black-hearted band, a little 
bolder than the rest, cried out, ' Hurrah for Santa Anna ! ' 
The cannon roared again. He leaped, cracked his heels 
together, slapped his hand and shouted, ' Hurrah for Santa 
Anna ! ' Presently there was a little recess ; the cannon 



204 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

ceased to fire ; the reports from muskets were few and far 
between. The hero of the band grew tremulous, and in a 
subdued tone said, 'Boys, what does that mean?' Down 
went his ear to the ground, as the contending armies 
receded, to catch the sound. The cannon and musket had 
ceased, but he distinctly heard the cracking of rifles, known 
to be in the hands of Texans. In a short time he put his 
ear to the ground the second time, and still he heard the 
rifles. Summoning his courage up, and with a smile of 
triumph upon his countenance, he said with animation, 
' Boys, I'll tell you what it is, — Sam. Houston is giving it to 
Santa Anna. Hurrah, hurrah for Sam. Houston ! ' Now, 
gentlemen, 1 would not be at all surprised if that same fel- 
low and a large part of his crowd were some trifling, back- 
slidden Baptists, and fallen from grace Methodists that 
went out regularly to preaching, and stood out and told 
anecdotes during the sermon, to the great annoyance of 
both preacher and congregation. Such men always want 
to be on the popular side, and are entirely destitute of prin- 
ciple. When it is popular to dance, drink whiskey and tell 
anecdotes, they are on that side ; and when religion is in 
her silver slippers and very popular, then they are on that 
side." 

The mouthpiece of the band of my disturbers, fearful 
lest I should carry off the palm of victcM-y, interrupted and 
said, " Parson, how did you find that out?" 

"Well, sir, I met a Mr. Smith, who was one of Sam. 
Houston's express bearers, and who was sent up the Trinity 
to tell the retreating families to stop at the Trinity River, 
as Santa Anna would very soon be routed and they could 
return to their homes. The express-man made his way back 



ORGANIZATION IN MIDDLE TEXAS. 205 

as far as Tory Hill, just in time to witness this remarkable 
demonstration." 

During this time, all the congregation in the honse and 
out of doors listened with the most earnest attention. 
After a short pause, during which no one spoke, I in- 
quired, " Gentlemen, shall I proceed, or will yow ?" The 
leader promptly replied, " You have the floor, sir ; proceed ; 
we give it up." 

Taking advantage of the victory gained, and by this 
time feeling more than ordinary solicitude for the cause of 
my great Master, I laid hold on my subject where I left it, 
and never in all my ministr\^ did I have greater liberty. 
The little log-house did not furnish accommodation for all 
the congregation, but the most profound attention was 
given, from without as well as within, and before the ser- 
mon was closed some praised the Lord aloud, and tears 
flowed freely from many eyes. The victory was, under 
God, complete, and this was the last struggle I ever had to 
get the attention of the Huntsville congregation. My way, 
after this, was clearer than ever before, and in a very short 
time the organization of the church, bearing date already 
written, was consummated. 

This church was organized upon the same principles as 
set forth in the Constitution and Articles of Faith of Union 
Association, with the addition of the following resolution : — 

*' Resolved^ That any member of this church, becoming a 
member of any of the benevolent institutions of the day, 
and contributing to their support, or refusing to do so, shall 
be no bar to fellowship." 

Without this resolution, an organization at the time 
could not have been made. The brethren composing the 
presbytery were censured for making this compromise ; but 



206 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

subsequent developments revealed, beyond doubt, the pro- 
priety of the course adopted. 

During the first year after the 'organization not more 
than one monthly meeting passed without the reception of 
members, either by baptism or by letter. Signs of rapid 
growth, peace and prosperity appeared on every hand for a 
time to cheer the true friends of Christ about Huntsville. 
The Satanic influences brought to bear upon the little flock, 
through the irregularities of the preachers and private 
members referred to, were in a great measure counteracted, 
when a new case appeared, making our hearts bleed with 
shame and sorrow. 

During a month's absence on my part, looking after or- 
ganizations in other places, the distinguished Elder Stovall, 
whose acquaintance I formed while on a visit to Mississippi, 
in 1840, made his appearance, and preached, to the great 
satisfaction of the church and entire community. He was 
a man of very superior literary attainments, and great nat- 
ural powers. My intention had already been communicated 
to the church to resign, and enter my first field in the 
State, near the Falls of the Brazos. We were all gratified 
with the prospect of securing the services of such a man, 
possessing such ability. But very soon reports reached us 
from Mississippi, through a reliable channel, that he not 
only indulged in wine, but was guilt}^ of crimes of a baser 
character. While he did not visit the grocery, he drank 
privately, and degraded himself besides, by worshipping at 
the shrine of passion. He was promptly informed of the 
charges alleged against him. He positively denied the al- 
legations, and promised to set himself right. In the mean 
time he took a school in the town. Although he received 
no further recognition at our hands as a preacher, he offered 



ORGANIZATION IN MIDDLE TEXAS. 207 

another impediment over which the "wicked stumbled, to the 
great mortification of the little struggling band of disciples. 
He went to San Antonio, and afterwards to New Orleans, 
where he was hung for murder. 

Surely no people has ever groaned under such burdens, 
imposed by such characters, more than we did in Texas, in 
our early history. I rejoice that I have lived to see the 
day when steamships, railways, and the electric wire fur- 
nish us with the means of speedy communication, so that 
men of this stamp cannot long remain in one locality 
without detection. 

During the year 1844 we kept up a regular monthly ap- 
pointment at a little school-house, with a dirt floor, four 
miles north of the present locality of Anderson, Grimes 
County, in the neighborhood of A. Gr. Perry. Here we 
gathered together a few Baptists, who petitioned for an or- 
ganization, and on the eleventh day of November, 1844, 
the present church at Anderson was organized by a presby- 
tery, composed of Elders Thomas Horsely and Z. N. Mor- 
rell, with seven members. While the members lived near 
the school-house we foresaw that, in consequence of the 
rich lands south, the centre of population would be at 
Fantharp's, — now Anderson, — and the church was consti- 
tuted with the understanding that it should be moved there 
so soon as accommodations were secured. 

This has been from its organization, twenty-seven years 
ago, one of our most prosperous and active churches. Four 
out of seven of the members who formed this church at its 
organization were living when last heard from. In the 
County of Grimes, two venerable sisters yet live, Sarah 
Kennard and Elizabeth White, who were among the 



208 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

first members, and who have ever been " the salt of the 
earth." 

Seven miles west of the town of Montgomery, another 
monthly appointment was steadily filled, and on the twent})^- 
fifth day of November, 1844, the Post Oak Grove church was 
organized, with six members. The presbytery consisted of 
Elders Wm. M. Tryon and Z. N. Morrell. 

On the same day the organization was formed, sister 
Aaron Shannon, and my son, A. H. Morrell, related their ex- 
periences, and were baptized by brother Tryon. My son 
dated his convictions back to the revival held with the Plum 
Grove church, in 1839, and his conversion previous to his 
capture by the Mexicans in 1842. 

During the latter part of 1844, and almost through the 
year 1845, God wonderfully blessed these three old churches, 
Huntsville, Anderson and Post Oak Grove. Scarcely a 
meeting passed, at either of these places, without the re- 
ception of members, both by letter and baptism. The pop- 
ulation increased rapidly, and we enjoyed abounding peace 
and prosperity. 

During this time I relied entirely upon the little churches, 
under God, for my support. My means were all exhausted, 
and I was once a little in debt. My pecuniary condition 
distressed me sorely ; but, trusting in God, I determined to 
go forward with the work. It became necessary for me to 
visit Washington County, and I confess the embarrassment 
tried me severely, when I remembered that I did not have 
money to pay my ferriage over the river. Rather than tell 
the brethren of my condition, and appeal to them for as- 
sistance, I determined to go on, in my penniless condition, 
and test the courtesy of the ferryman, where I had formerly 
been crossed free of charge. The ferryman did not happen 



ORGANIZATION IN MIDDLE TEXAS. 209 

to recognize me, and I received from his tongue some very 
bitter abuse. To appease his wrath I gave him ray coat, as 
a pledge that the money should be paid on my return. 
With this he was quite satisfied and put me across. My real 
financial condition was no longer a secret, and on my arrival 
in the neighborhood of the Providence church, near the 
present locality of Chappel Hill, brother Hosea Garrett and 
others furnished the amount necessary to recross the river 
and redeem my coat. 

I will here record that Providence church, Washington 
County, was organized with nine members, on the thirtieth 
day of May, 1842, by Elders W. M. Try on, P. E. B.Baylor, 
Hosea Garrett and Elias Rogers. Brother Tryon served as 
the pastor for about four years, and was succeeded by 
brother Hosea 'Garrett. This has been a very prosperous 
and active body of Christians. Elder Garrett served as 
pastor for a great number of years, and under his ministry, 
in 1846, there were about seventy additions by experience 
and baptism. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

ANNEXATION AND EDUCATION. — 1845. 

^j^ENERAL Sam. Houston's " Lone Star Republic," 
M i(j^ of which he had prophesied in Tennessee, and over 
^;^J^ which he had presided for two terms, making in all 
five years, the congress of which had been moving on wheels 
from one locality to another, in consequence of the repeated 
invasions, now had its seat of government at the old town 
of Washington, on the Brazos. In the fall of 1844, Anson 
Jones was elected as the successor of our long-admired and 
long-loved Houston, and the retiring president, on the ninth 
of December, 1844, delivered his valedictory in the town of 
Washington. A few extracts from this address are here 
inserted : — 

" Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Repre- 
sentatives, and fellow-citizens : — 

" This numerous and respectable assemblage of the free 
citizens of Texas and their representatives exhibits the best 
possible commentary upon the successful action and happy 
influence of the institutions of our country. We have met to- 
together for no purpose but that of adding another testimonial 
to the practicability of enlightened self-government, to wit- 
ness a change of officers without the change of office, to obey 
the high behests of our written constitution, in good-will 
and fellowship, as members of the same great political 

210 



ANNEXATION AND EDUCATION 211 

family, sensible of our rights and fully understanding out 
duty. 

" I am about to lay down the authority with which my 
countrymen, three years since, so generously and so confid- 
ingly invested me, and to return again to the ranks of my 
fellow-citizens. But in retiring from the high office which 
I have occupied to the walks of private life, I cannot for- 
bear the expression of the cordial gratitude which inspires 
my bosom. The constant and unfailing support which I 
have had from the people in every vicissitude demands of 
me a candid and grateful acknowledgment of my enduring 
obligations. From them I have derived a sustaining influ- 
ence, which has enabled me to meet the most tremendous 
shocks, and to pursue without faltering the course which I 
deemed proper for the advancement of the public interests 
and the security of the general welfare. I proudly confess 
that to the people I owe whatever of good I may have 
achieved by my official labors ; for without the support 
which they so fully accorded me I could have acquired 
neither advantage for the republic nor satisfaction for 
myself. . . . 

" In my retirement I take with me no animosities. If 
ever they existed, they are buried in the past ; and I would 
hope that those with whom it has been my lot to come in 
conflict, in the discharge of my official functions, will exer- 
cise toward my acts and motives the same degree of candor. 

".In leaving my station I leave the country tranquil at 
home, and, in effect, at peace with all nations. ... 

"Our foreign relations, as far as the United States, 
France, England, Holland, and some of the principal States 
of Germany are concerned, are of the most agreeable char- 
acter, and we have every assurance of their continuance. 



212 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

" As to Mexico, she still maintains the attitude of nomi- 
nal hostility. Instructed by experience, she might be ex- 
pected to have become more reasonable ; but the vain-glori- 
ous and pompous gasconade so characteristic of that nation 
would indicate that she is not quite ready to acknowledge 
the independence we have achieved. If, however, she 
attempts the infliction of injuries she has so often de- 
nounced, I am fully assured that the same spirit which 
animated the heroic men who won the liberty we now enjoy, 
will call to the field a yet mightier host, to avenge the 
wrongs we have endured, and establish beyond question our 
title to full dominion over all we claim. 

" When I look around me, fellow-citizens, and see and 
know that the prospects of the republic are brightening, its 
resources developing, its commerce extending, and its moral 
influence in the community of nations increasing, my heart 
is filled with sensations of joy and pride. A poor and 
despised people a few years ago, borne down by depressing 
influences at home and abroad, we have risen in defiance of 
all obstacles to a respectable place in the eyes of the world. 
One great nation is inviting us to a full participancy in all 
its privileges, and to a full community of laws and interests. 
Others desire our separate and independent national exist- 
ence, and are ready to throw into our lap the richest gifts 
and favors. 

" The attitude of Texas now, to my apprehension, is one 
of peculiar interest. The United States have spurned her 
twice already. Let her, therefore, maintain her position 
firmly as it is, and work out her own political salvation. 
Let her legislation proceed upon the supposition that we are 
to be and remain an independent people. If Texas goes 
begging again for admission into 'the United States, she will 



ANNEXATION AND EDUCATION. 213 

only degrade herself. They will spurn her agmn from their 
threshold, and other nations will look upon her with unmin- 
gled pity. Let Texas, therefore, maintain her position. If 
the United States shall open the door and ask her to come 
into her great family of States, you will then have other 
conductors, better than myself, to lead jow into a union 
with the beloved land from which we have sprung, — the 
land of the broad stripes and bright stars. But let us be 
as we are until that opportunity'' is presented ; and then let 
us go in, if at all, united in one phalanx, and sustained by 
the opinion of the world. . . . 

"In the advance of the republic, from the earliest period 
of its history up to the present moment, we think we have 
demonstrated to the world our capacity for self-government. 
Among our people are to be found the intelligent and enter- 
prising from almost every part of the globe. Though from 
different States, and of different habits, manners, sects and 
languages, they have acted with a degree of concord and 
unanimity almost miraculous. The world respects our posi- 
tion, and will sustain us by their good opinion ; and it is to 
moral influence that we should look, as much as to the point 
of the bayonet or the power of cannon. 

" My countrymen ! Give to the rising generation in- 
struction ; establish schools everywhere among you. You 
will thus diffuse intelligence throughout the masses, — that 
great safeguard to our free institutions. Among us educa- 
tion confers rank and influence ; ignorance is the parent of 
degradation. Intelligence elevates man to the highest des- 
tiny ; but ignorance degrades him to slavery. 

"In quitting my present position, and a second time 
retiring from the chief-magistracy of the republic, I feel 
the highest satisfaction in being able to leave my country- 



214 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

men in the enjoyment of civil and religious freedom, and 
surrounded by many evidences of present and increasing 
prosperity. This bappy condition is ascribable to that wise 
and benign Providence which has watched over our prog- 
ress and conducted us to the attainment of blessings so 
invaluable. Let us, therefore, strive to deserve the favor of 
Heaven, that we may be established in all the privileges of 
freemen, and achieve that destiny which is always accorded 
to the faithful pursuit of good and patriotic objects. 

"It is unnecessai^y for me to detain you longer. I now, 
therefore, take leave of you, my countrymen, with the 
devout trust that the God who has inspired you with faithful 
and patriotic devotion will bless j^ou with his choicest gifts. 
I shall bear with me, into the retirement in which I intend 
to pass the remainder of my life, the grateful and abiding 
recollection of your many favors." 

The year 1844 passed out with the brightest prospects, as 
seen in this valedictory. The election of James K. Polk 
to the presidency of the United States was an evidence to 
the public mind that Texas would be annexed to the 
American Union at an early day. The party that nom- 
inated and elected Polk favored annexation, and the dis- 
cussion of this question occupied much attention in the 
canvass. On the twenty-fifth day of February, 1845, the 
annexation act passed the congress of the United States, 
and on the first of March it passed the Senate. President 
Tyler had the honor of giving his official signature on the 
same da}^, — three days before passing out of office. This 
act was approved by Texas, on the twenty-third day of 
June, 1845. 

Emigration poured rapidly out of the old States into the 



ANKEXATI02T AND EDUCATION, 215 

new one, and with the rapidly increasing population, the 
friends of education and religion in Texas felt that there 
was a mighty work before them. 

In keeping with the spirit of the times the Baptists were 
rising up to measure arms with the educational interests of 
the countr}^, and on the first of February, 1845, nearly six 
months previous to annexation, the charter for " Ba3dor 
University" was granted b}^ the congress of the republic, 
and the institution located, where it now stands, at Indepen- 
dence, in "Washington County. The names of the first 
Board of Trustees under the charter were as follows : — 
E. E. B. Ba3dor, Eli Mercer, Orien Drake, James L. 
Farquahar, Edward Taylor, James Huckins, James S. 
Lester, Eobert Armistead, Aaron Shannon, Albert C. 
Horton, Nelson Kavanaugh, A. G. Haynes, J, G. Thomas, 
R. G. Jarman, and Wm. M. Tr3'on. 

The names of the members that formed the " Education 
Societ}^ " that was organized at the second meeting of 
Union Association, in 1841, appear in a previous chapter. 
Through the influence of this society, and under the 
auspices of Union Association, this institution was chartered 
and placed under the care of Elder Henry L. Graves, its 
first president, earlj^ in 1846. This school kept pace 
with the progress of the country, and prospered greatl3^, 
from the very commencement. Both bo3's and girls were 
received, and recited in classes together. 

In 1848, the Baptist State Convention was organized, 
which will be noticed at the proper place. In 1849, a 
committee v^as appointed to secure, by an act of the Legis- 
lature, a change in the charter, allowing all vacancies oc- 
curring in the Board of Trustees to be filled by the conven- 
tion. 



216 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

At the third session of the Baptist State Convention, the 
committee reported that the change had been effected, and 
since 1850 Baylor University has been under the patronage 
of the convention. 

In 1851 we find from the minutes of the Baptist State Con- 
vention that Elder R. C. Burleson was president of the in- 
stitution, and in charge of the male department. Elder 
Horace Clark was in charge of the female department. At 
one time under this administration, we find, from the report 
of the board of trustees, that there were over four hun- 
dred students entered, during one year, in the two depart- 
ments. Elder Burleson resigned his presidency of Bajdor, 
and took his present position as president of Waco Univer- 
sity, in 1861. The exact date when the two institutions 
were placed each under a different and separate board of 
trustees, I cannot give. Elder Horace Clark remained in 
charge of "Baylor Female College" until the summer of 
1871, with onl}^ a short intermission. The Female College 
is at present under the care of Elder Henry L. Graves, the 
first president of Baylor University. 

Elder G. W. Baines served for a short period of time pre- 
vious to the election of Elder W. C. Crane, who has been in 
charge of Baylor University as president a number of 
years, and fills the position still. 

The old " Education Society," organized in connection 
with Union Association, at its second session, in 1841, con- 
tinued to hold its annual meetings and put forth its ener- 
gies until the university was founded in 1845, and after 
the general interests of education were turned over to the 
board of trustees, this society continued to hold its anni- 
versaries, and plead the cause of ministerial education. 
Young men, moved by the Spirit of God to enter the Chris- 



ANNEXATION AND EDUCATION. ■ 217 

tian ministry, were sought out from among the churches, 
and placed at Baylor University, the society promptly 
meeting their pecuniary liabilities. The society met with 
the association, in 1847, at Houston, with Elder H. L. 
Graves as president, and received at that meeting the sum 
of $305.50. In 1858, eleven years afterwards, the society 
met with Union Association, at the Mount Zion church, 
Washington County, when the Treasurer, J. W. Barnes, re- 
ported $691.74 on hand, for ministerial education. With 
the Bellville church, in Washington County, it held a meeting 
as late as 1860, and still reported on hand $211.74. The 
enthusiasm that prevailed at all its annual meetings was 
without a parallel. Its friends rallied around it — and 
their names were legion — with their prayers and contribu- 
tions, up to the late war, when its operations were sus- 
pended, because of the depressed financial condition of the 
country, and in consequence of the fact that the youth and 
manhood of the country were called to the army. It was 
not necessar}^ to involve the society in debt. When God 
gave young men to be educated, the necessary amount could 
always be secured. All that the societ}^ required of its 
beneficiaries was, that they be approved by the churches 
and give evidence of their gifts. The appropriations were 
in accordance with the necessity that existed. 

The entire expenses of some w^ere paid, and others in 
part, just as their pecuniary condition required. While the 
brethren showed a mind to work in this glorious cause, the 
Lord raised up among us a number of gifted j^oung men. 
During the existence of that time-honored and heaven- 
approved organization, no discordant elements ever entered 
its meetuigs, and I now believe, if such an organization 
were still hoisting its colors at every session of the Baptist 



218 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

State Convention, that the same spirit that animated the 
" old guard" would fire the hearts of hundreds of Baptists 
all over the land ; and that the seven young men now at 
Baylor, and as many more, if God should raise them up, 
would be amply provided with all the means needed for 
their education. 

The first beneficiary that entered Baylor University, 
under the auspices of this society, was James H. Stribling. 
In 1843 he professed a hope in Christ, and was baptized by 
Elder Wm. M. Tryon into the fellowship of the Providence 
church, Washington County. In 1845 the church recog- 
nized his gift, and in the next year he entered college at 
Independence. 

A few months previous, while on a visit to Providence, 
brother H. Garrett requested me to fill his monthly ap- 
pointment at Dove church, in Burleson County, of which 
he was the pastor. This church was organized at Cald- 
well, May 4th, 1843, by Elders R. E. B. Baylor and N. 
T. Byars, with six members. Brother Garrett served this 
church for several years, forty-five miles from his home. 

James H. Stribling was selected to accompany me on 
this trip. Eor nearly nine years I had, with others, 
been iDraying the Lord of the harvest to raise up young 
men in Texas to preach the glorious gospel of the blessed 
God. Nearly all our ministers then at work had been 
borrowed from the old States. The few that had been or- 
dained in Texas, so far as I then knew, had been con- 
verted elsewhere. Here was a youth converted in Texas, 
and impressed to enter upon the ministry, — the first case 
of the kind we met. At the Saturday meeting the young 
brother was put forward to open the services, notwith- 
standing all his objections and great timidity. We went 



ANNEXATION AND EDUCATION. 219 

to Caldwell expecting to stay two clays, but continued a 
meeting of great interest for about six. The young 
brother was put forward at everj^ service, and required to 
"work. He would frequently falter, and sometimes stand 
with his finger pointing upwards for nearly a minute, 
without uttering a word. There was a deep earnestness 
in all he said, and the people all recognized the fact 
that he groaned beneath the load of his responsibiIit3^ 
In the midst of his hesitancy for appropriate words in 
which to clothe his thoughts, he did not cough, hawk, 
spit, nor grunt, to fill up the time. He was only waiting 
to express his own ideas in his own words ; for there was 
no attempt on his part to imitate any one. During the 
meeting, old brother Pruitt, who will receive notice at the 
proper time, and I covenanted to pray to the Lord to loose 
the young brother's tongue. Just as we were about to 
close this meeting and return to our homes, brother Strib- 
ling rose, in the midst of a weeping congregation, and asked 
permission to speak. God loosed his tongue on that spot, 
beyond all question, for about five minutes, and he has not 
been tongue-tied since. 

After urgent solicitation on my part, he visited with me 
all my churches east of the Brazos, and gave evidence of 
rapid growth. The propriety with which he conducted him- 
self in all classes of society was worthy of the imitation 
of every young man entering upon this sacred caMing. 
Among men and women, old and young, he maintained 
uniformly the dignity of the Christian character. While at 
Anderson church, J. W. Barnes, then a Universalist, but 
my intimate friend, accosted me thus : " Brother Morrell, 
what are you carrying these boys round through the country 
for?" At this time brother Richard Ellis, whom we or- 



220 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

dained on the Colorado, was with me. I replied to General 
Barnes, that they were good and true men ; that the oldest — 
alluding to Ellis — was a man of usefulness ; but that the 
younger — alluding to Stribling — was my tart^ and that 
after we got him cooked he would be all right, and a credit 
to the denomination. Barnes replied, after a hearty laugh, 
"I admire your zeal, but deplore your judgment." 

James H. Stribling entered Baylor University shortly 
afterwards, was the first beneficiary of the old "Education 
Society," appreciated the assistance given by devoting 
himself earnestly to the cultivation of his mind, till 1849, 
when he was ordained, at a call from the Independence 
church, to the full work of the gospel ministry, by a pres- 
bytery composed of Elders R. E. B. Baylor, Hosea Gar- 
rett, Henry L. Graves, and J. W. D. Creath. 

While he preached all he could in connection with his 
college life, he now entered actively upon the life of a con- 
secrated preacher, and has never turned aside to engage in 
any secular employment, for a year or a month, up to the 
present time. The trust reposed in him by the denomina- 
tion and the old "Education Society" has never been 
betrayed. We have ever been glad to see him rise, in any 
general meeting, on any occasion and at au}'^ point, and plead 
our common cause. Gonzales, Galveston, Wharton, and 
other points in the' west, have long felt the power of his 
earnest ministry ; and the church at Anderson, over which 
he now presides, and has for the last ten years, as pastor, 
still rejoices under the privileges of his ministry. All love 
him — none excel him. 

D. B, Morrill, according to my recollection, was the 
third beneficiary that entered Baylor University under the 
auspices of the " Education Society." He was born in New 
York, May 17, 1825, was baptized in Michigan, February 



ANNEX A TION A ND ED TIC A TTON 221 

19, 1843, and emigratecl to Texas in 1845. He was found 
by brother James Huckins, the pastor at Galveston, driving 
a stage between Galveston and Velasco. His piety clearly 
exhibited itself at once. The watchful eye of Huckins 
observed that the 3^ouug stage-driver carried his Bible in his 
pocket, and s^Dent every moment he could with safety, even 
on his stage, in searching the Scriptures. He was licensed 
to preach by the church at Galveston on the fifth of Febru- 
ary, 1848, and in July, following entered Bajdor University . 
The same earnestness that characterized his subsequent 
ministry was manifested in the prosecution of his studies. 
Morrill and Stribling were in the institution together for a 
while, and the neighborhoods adjacent to Independence 
enjoyed the privileges of their early ministry. In Decem- 
ber, 1851, he was ordained by a presbytery composed of 
Elders G. W. Baines, R. C. Burleson, R. E. B. Baylor, 
Henry L. Graves, and J. W. D. Creath, and entered at once 
upon an active, earnest ministry. 

The old "Education Society" had another bright star 
added to its crown of rejoicing, and no reasons were ever 
given by Elder D. B. Morrill to cause its members to regret 
the means invested in his education. While Stribling went 
west, Morrill went east, and the churches at Montgomery, 
Crockett, Tyler, and Ladonia, and other intermediate points, 
were long fired by his zealous ministry. He was a man of 
small stature and presented strong indications of a feeble 
constitution, and yet few men have performed a greater 
amount of labor in the same period of time. He was emi- 
nently sound in doctrine, and hesitated not to avow his con- 
victions. He did not deal in smooth and honej^ed words 
when opposing the enemies of truth, but in the clearest, 
strongest language of which he was master fought error on 



222 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

every incli of ground. Some men's sermons are like beau- 
tiful round balls, arranged with so much symmetry, and 
presented in such elegant style, that it is hard to gather 
them up when the preacher disappears. D. B. Morrill's 
sermons were fall of horns ; you could not forget them if 
you tried, and you always found prongs to take hold of 
when you wanted to pick them up. The mission cause in 
Texas found in him an ardent friend and an able advocate. 
At one time serving under an eastern association as agent, 
with instructions to indoctrinate the churches, and at 
another time serving as general agent in Northern and East- 
ern Texas, he wielded an extensive influence. Secular 
engagements did not employ much of his precious time, and 
as he possessed the spirit of a martyr, he literally sacri- 
ficed his life in the earnest prosecution of his work. 

He was a forcible writer, and was serving as associate 
editor of the " Texas Baptist Herald" at the time of his 
death. 

His spirit was stirred within him, as death drew near, as 
he saw the advancing columns of Catholicism sweeping 
across the United States, and in his last affliction penned 
an article for the "Herald," which appeared after his death, 
sorely Regretting the apathy of the friends of Jesus, and 
urging them to buckle on the armor of truth. In the prime 
of life he passed away, to hear the welcome, " Well done, 
good and faithful servant ! " 

I here give a private letter from sister Morrill to the edi- 
tor of the " Texas Baptist Herald," and also the last com- 
munication ever penned by this noble man of God. The 
letter from the widow was never intended for publication ; 
it bears upon its face the evidences of the deepest piety, 



ANNEXATION AND EDUCATION. 223 

and her scriptural qualifications for the position she held as 
a minister's wife. 

"Ladonia, Fa:n^nin CouNTr, Feb. 12, 1868. 

" Deak Brother Link : — I enclose with this the last words 
of my clear husband for our paper. He wrote them on 
Thursday, the sixth of February, after which he told me 
' his work was done ; he had preached his last sermon, — he 
was going to a better country.' We did all we could, but 
God took him to rest on Monday, at two o'clock, P. M. 
He gave us all the evidence we could ask, and even more 
than I ever had before, that his home was in heaven, and 
that he was auxious to go. He said he wished he had the 
world for a congregation and strength to talk ; he would 
tell them more than he ever had before of the excellences 
of the gospel, and that if we were faithfid to Christ we 
would not regret it when we come to die. This was the 
happiest day of his life. His work for twenty-two j^ears 
had been to this end, and he wondered, if there were any 
infidels here, if they would not believe the testimony he 
could give them, and if not, they would not believe though 
one arose from the dead. 

" One moment in the arms of Jesus was better than a 
whole lifetime here. He blessed his children, and said we 
would not want. Though we were left without a home and 
among strangers, he felt that God would not let his family 
sufi"er. He had spent his propert}^ for the cause, as well as 
his life, and God would reward him. He said much more 
that was pleasant and gratifying to me ; but perhaps I have 
said enough. It is some relief to me to tell it to one that I 
feel is still doing all he can for the same good Master. I 



224. FLOWEES AND FHUITS. 

feel that all Texas sympathizes with me ; but I must not 
weary you. Please publish these last words which I enclose, 
and tell the ministers that he wished them to be more faith- 
ful than they have ever been to preach the wJioIe truth. 
*' Your sister in much affliction, 

"L. MOKRILL." 

He died on the tenth of February, 1868, and only four 
days before he penned the following : — 

"Ladonia, Fannin County, Texas, Feb. 6, 1868. 

*' To-day I am sick, and there have been but few days in 
several months past that my increasing bodily infirmities 
have not plead for rest and refreshment. But the evident 
shortness of my time, the quiescent and compromising spirit 
of many of the ' witnesses of Jesus,' and the vigorous onset 
of the foe, — many in number, but one in ultimate design, 
and one in the fatal tendency of their world-wide heresies, 
— forbid my loitering. ' The deadly wound of the beast ' 
is healed by the transfer of his strongholds to America. 
The world is once more ' wondering 'after the beast ; ' 
kings and potentates, men of the world and all protestant 
sects, whose martyred sires battled nobly against the en- 
croachments of the ' man of sin,' are upholding the black 
banner, and directing unconscious thousands in the course 
of that apocalyptic woman who made herself ' drunk with 
the blood of the saints.' 

" The truth and the whole truth must be told. The faith- 
ful must put on the gospel armor and be rallied to the ' high 
places of the field.' 

" But oh, what can I do ? What are intellectual attain- 



ANNEXATION AND EDUCATION. 225 

ments? What are the principles of sound logic? What 
are matured arguments, when in the unequal conflict with 
'spiritual wickedness in high places?' Oh, thou Author 
of Truth, thou knowest how much I desire thy presence in 
every work. I desire nothing so much as to be made 
' strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.' May thy 
servant ever remember that ' the race is not to the swift, 
nor the battle to the strong.' Give me light, and a clear 
understanding of thj word. May I never forget that the 
chief end of all my labors is to win souls to Christ. May 
I never be tempted by flattery and the hope of gain, on the 
one hand, to suppress any part of thy truth, nor to falter 
in any dutj^, in view of poverty, shame, or suifering. Oh, 
give me faith to. tread the roughest path, and to walk boldly 
on amid the darkest gloom. May I never seek the favor of 
men at the sacrifice of truth, nor ever cast one shade of 
reproach upon one that loves our Lord Jesus Christ." 

It would require a volume of itself to record the benefits 
that have flowed from the " Education Societ}^,"— the found- 
ing and history of its institutions of learning, — the long list 
of its beneficiaries and their noble deeds in Texas, — with 
the long line of men and women educated there during the 
past twenty-seven years, who have gone forth to bless soci- 
ety. Over fifty preachers have received either the whole or 
a part of their education there. 

The old institution, chartered by the congress of the 
republic, still lives. From its beginning till now, streams 
of influence have gone out from its walls, telling all the 
time upon the destinies of our people. Minds have been 
trained there that have mastered the learned professions, 



226 FLOWEES AND FRUITS. 

and voices have been trained there that have been heard at 
the bar, in the political arena, from the pulpit, among the 
English-speaking population, among the Germans, in all the 
Texas Baptist Convocations, and in the Southern Baptist 
Convention. 



CHAPTER XX. 

PIONEER PREACHING. 1846. 

(^^JSpHE clouds that hung so heavily around that region 
// I ^ of country adjacent to the Falls of the Brazos in 
\^?^ 1837, when I cultivated my first crop in Texas under 
a guard of soldiers, and from which I was driven at an early 
day by the Indians, were now all brushed away by the suc- 
cess of our arms and the advance of civilization. The 
afiections of my heart had always lingered around that spot, 
during all the years of my banishment, and early in 1846 
I left the churches organized in 1845 to be cared for by 
other pastors, and, under a commission from the Domestic 
Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, accepted, 
as missionaiy, the field north of the old San Antonio road, 
between the Brazos and Trinity Rivers. The salarj^ agreed 
upon was two hundred and fifty dollars, to be paid quar- 
terly. 

North of Anderson and Huntsville, in 1846, there was 
not a Baptist preacher to co-operate with me in the organ- 
ization of churches, in all the vast territorj^ lyii^g between 
the Trinity and Brazos Rivers, to the farthest limits of 
Texas, except Elder N. T. Byars, who then lived on Rich- 
land creek, in Navarro County, about eighty or ninety miles 
from vrhere I settled in Milam County. There was a small 
organization of anti-missionary Baptists in the vicinity of 
Springfield, with two brothers by the name of Dorsey 

227 



228 FLOWERS AND FliUITS. 

preaching among them. Elder Byars and I met (xjcasion- 
ally, and conferred together with reference to the interests 
of our Master's cause in the midst of this wide destitu- 
tion. 

My first trip across the country was made in January, 
1846, preaching first at Leona, and tlien at Springfield, pur- 
suing my old custom of asking at the close of the sermon 
if there were any Baptists present. This I did to make 
their acquaintance, and to prepare for organization. Both 
at Leona and Springfield I found a few Baptists, where I 
left appointments for February. On my second trip, with- 
out the aid of any minister, I constituted the church at 
Leona, on the first Sunday in February, with eight or nine 
members, and the second Sunday in the same month the 
church at Springfield, with six or seven members. Elder 
Byars lived in the heart of the territory now occupied by 
Richland Association, and in the territory now covered by 
the Trinity Kiver Association there was no ministerial aid 
given me until the arrival of Elder R. E. B. Baylor. 

Brother Baylor served as judge of the District Court 
under the Republic of Texas ; lived first at Lagrange ; re- 
sided later near Independence, where stands Baylor Univer- 
sity, that bears his name, and around which his heart's warm- 
est afiections have always gathered. He was now re-elected 
under the State administration, with a district extending 
farther east, and embracing the counties of Leon, Lime- 
stone Falls, and Robertson. For about twenty years he 
held this public trust, and no man could be found that could 
compete with him on election da}^, when the popular vote 
was cast for District Judge. At all his courts he preached 
whenever opportunities were given. 

One incident connected with the history of that Baptist 



PIONEER PREACHING. 229 

Judge and his associate, Judge Hemphill, is worthy of 
record, exhibiting an independence and spirit of liberality 
that greatly endeared them to the people who shared the 
destinies of the republic. 

Previous to annexation, the judges were elected by the 
congress, and not by the popular vote. Baylor and Hemp- 
hill had been elected, and were in the discharge of their 
duties. The salary of a judge was tln^ee thousand dollars 
per annum. The congress passed a law reducing the salary 
to fifteen hundred dollars. The law of course was not 
designed to affect the wages of the incumbents, but their 
successors in office. 

This was a clear indication to the two noble judges, that, 
in consequence of the low state of the finances of the 
country, retrenchment was necessary. Both of them 
promptly went forward and resigned, announcing themselves 
at the same time candidates for the same office, at the 
reduced salary. They were both immediately elected and 
returned to their positions, receiving only fifteen hundred, 
while the other judges were receiving three thousand 
dollars. Texas did not forget them in future years. 

Brother Baylor came to my relief on the Colorado in 
1838, as the reader well remembers, and now, in 1846, we 
entered the same territor}^ While in his official position he 
was rendering to Caesar the things that were Caasar's, I 
determined to so arrange my appointments as to catch him 
at our regular meetings, thus giving him a good opportu- 
nity to render unto God the things that were God's. He 
always arrived at the place to hold his courts on Saturday 
evening, and sometimes earlier. This gave us an opportunit}^ 
to preach together on Sunday, and it was quite common for 
us to have preaching at night thi'ough the week. His 



230 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

preaching and Christian influence in social life contributed 
greatly to the cause of religion, all round his circuit. He 
wielded a fine influence on the bar, and our congregations 
at night were generally large. On one occasion I met with 
brother Baylor at the old Providence church, in Burleson 
County. 

This church was organized by Elder Wm. M. Tryon in 
September, 1841, with twelve members. The day after the 
organization, brother Tryon baptized twenty persons, and 
during the meeting about forty were added to the church. 
Here lived the venerable Deacon James A. Pruitt, and the 
twenty converts added to this church, the day after the or- 
ganization, were convicted and converted in a prayer meet- 
ing led by him without the aid of a preacher. His influ- 
ence among this people to the day of his death, a number 
of years afterwards, reminded us very much of tlie ark of 
the covenant. Whenever he moved forward, the people 
moved also. Previous to the organization of Providence 
church. Deacon Pruitt held the prayer meetings in the yard 
of a venerable sister Smith, who lived at a central point in 
the community. She frequently pointed me and others to 
the stump around which anxious, penitent sinners kneeled 
with the old deacon for prayer. 

Judge Baylor and I fell in together at this church, an^l 
there was quite an interest manifested. The church at that 
time was a member of the Union Association, and Elder 
Hosea Garrett was the pastor. He served this, in connec- 
tion with Dove church, at Caldwell, several j^ears. On one 
occasion during the meeting alluded to I preached, and, ac- 
cording to previous arrangement, brother Baylor followed 
me with an exhortation. He made one of his happiest 
eflforts ; but as the desired impression was not yet made 



PIONEER PRE ACHING. 231 

upon the waiting audience, he called for brother Pruitt to 
come forward and address his neighbors. 

The old brother ever walked humbly with God, and was 
willing on every occasion, as he now showed, to lend the 
influence of public admonition. Promptly he commenced 
an earnest exhortation, pleading with his neighbors and 
their children to repent and turn from sin to God. - They 
could stand the plain talk of Morrell and the eloquence 
of Baylor, but their heart-strings were soon touched by the 
appeals of Deacon Pruitt. The very springs in his head 
broke out through his eyes, and a still, small voice was heard 
from every quarter of reflection, and mighty contrasts came 
up in the minds of many sinners. "Possibl}^ Morrell and 
Baylor may, after all, be working for fame ; but our old 
neighbor is a walking epistle, read and known by us all. 
The book of his daily life is before us, and his conversa- 
tion at every turn is seasoned with grace. Eiches and 
earthly treasure now are not in all his thoughts." They 
could resist no longer, and a number bowed down, inquir- 
ing, " What must we do to be saved?" Oh, for more such 
deacons as this ! An army of such Baptists would batter 
down the walls of prejudice and superstition wherever they 
went. Deacon Pruitt lived right on my road going to and 
coming from Baylor University, while my son was there at 
school, and it was a great privilege to be permitted to pass 
a night under his roof. He would light me to my bed, and 
then sit by me and talk the sleep out of my eyes, till the 
chickens crowed for day. All his conversation would be 
about the Redeemer and his kingdom. His was an envia- 
ble life, and I suppose that no man has ever appeared in 
the religious history of Texas who has attained to loftier 
heights in Christian life than Deacon Pruitt. 



232 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

At this same meeting the case of J. G. Thomas pressed 
heavily upon our hearts. We were in great need of minis- 
ters, and brother Baylor, as well as myself, never lost an 
opportunity to give young men a word of encouragement, 
who were impressed to preach. On my former visit to 
Burleson County, in 1845, with James H. Stribling, we 
preached at Providence church, and learned that brother 
Thomas had been laboring under convictions, for some 
time, that it was his duty to preach, but in consequence of 
his great timidity it was with difficulty that we could even 
get him to pray in public. Men entering the ministiy in 
Texas, under my observation, have been veiy much like 
horses. Occasionally I have met one that needed the curb 
and bit, in the midst of his feverish anxiety to rush for- 
ward, regardless of either propriety or consequences. 
Then there are others that must be coaxed along, and some- 
times put under the spurs to drive them forward. Here 
was a man that not only had to be coaxed, but finally had 
to be put under whip and spur, before he would take his 
place in the team and do his part in dragging the heavy 
load along. 

Deacon Pruitt, seeing the troubles under which brother 
Thomas groaned, brought his whole influence to bear to 
urge him into the work, and after a long mental struggle, 
under the dealings of Providence, he bowed his head and 
took the yoke. 

Since he consented to put the harness on, he has never 
been found without it. The missionary spirit entered his 
soul in large measure, and although he has served a number 
of churches as pastor with much success, the most of his 
labors have been performed in the mission-field of Texas. 



PIONEER PBEACBING. 233 

In this field success has crowned his work wherever he has 
gone. 

During the spring of 1846 I encountered many difficul- 
ties in traversing the broad field assigned me. The Little 
Brazos and Navasota Rivers both had to be crossed on 
every trip, and there was no ferry on either stream. They 
were frequently swollen for weeks together, and many a 
time I was compelled not only to swim the main streams, 
but also in the low grounds adjacent. It was sixty miles 
to Leona, where I filled an appointment the first Sunday 
in every month, with both these rivers to cross. It was 
then, the way I travelled, fifty miles to Springfield, with 
several streams between, without bridges, where I preached 
on every second Sunday. It was forty miles to my next 
appointment for the third Sunday, in Navarro County, with 
Bichland and Chambers Creeks on the way. It was one 
hundred miles on a direct route to my own neighborhood, 
where I preached in Milam County, on the fourth Sunday. 
With extra rides, in visiting among the scattered settle- 
ments, over three hundred miles were travelled monthly, 
during the entire year. High waters never prevented me 
from filling a single appointment. 

At our first meeting after the organization at Leona, a 
very remarkable negro boy approached me on Saturday 
morning, and asked permission to join the church. Upon 
being asked if he believed that God for Christ^s sake had 
forgiven his sins, he promptly answered in the affirmative ; 
and after giving the clearest evidences of deep conviction 
and joyful deliver,ance, I told him to confer with his owner 
and present himself to the church. Jerry was prompt to the 
hour, and when an opportunity was given he presented 
himself for membership. In the hearing of all the congre- 



234 FLOIVERS AND FRUITS. 

gation he told his simple story, in a few but earnest words. 
There was no dream, no voice, and no miraculous manifes- 
tations rehearsed ; but with plain and heartfelt utterances 
he convinced the congregation, already in tears, that he not 
only had a soul, but that his spirit had been moved by the 
power of God. I baptized him with some others, and very 
soon he expressed an anxiety to learn to read the Bible. 
In this he was encouraged, and in hisaptness to learn soon 
acquired what he sought. He was granted permission and 
encouraged by the church to preach to his people. Up to 
the war, and during the struggle, he deported himself with 
Christian propriety, and although a quarter of a century has 
passed since I baptized him, he still lives to declare the 
good news of salvation to his race. 

On this same trip, in the month of March, passing from 
Leona to Springfield, with only one house on the road, I 
found a creek swimming, about midway between these 
points. About two hours were lost in my efforts to head 
the swimming water. It was very cold and I dreaded it. 
Finally, m.y horse was plunged into the swollen stream. 
He swam with me to the opposite bank without any diffi- 
culty ; but as he struggled amid obstructions on the Spring- 
field side, I was compelled to dismount in the water and 
give the animal my assistance. 

My boots were full of water, and all my clothing thor- 
oughly saturated. A blue Texas norther whistled around 
my ears, and appeared almost to penetrate my quivering 
limbs, as I mounted the horse, at four o'clock in the 
evening, with twenty-five miles Ijmg stretched between me 
and Springfield in a north-westerly direction, and not a 
single house on the way that I knew of. To my great 
surprise and gratification, after travelling about eight miles, 
my clothing now freezing, I came suddenly upon a camp 



PIONEER PBEACHING, 235 

by the roadside, made since my February trip. Here was 
a good fire, a little log cabin covered, no floor, cracks not 
lined, and no chimney. The familiar voice of a brother 
in Christ was recognized ; and brother Sanders, whom I 
had known in Washington County, and afterwards at 
Huntsville, invited me to share with him for the night the 
comforts of his camp. He had been there only a short 
time, had no corn for my horse, and his wagon, sent below 
for supplies, had not returned in consequence of high waters. 
It was eighteen miles yet to Springfield, with two and per- 
haps three dangerous streams to swim ; and although the 
horse must shiver all night as he nipped the short spring 
grass, and although the missionary was informed that the 
family had neither bread nor meat, he decided to tarry for 
the night. 

It was by this time almost sunset, and as I drew oflT my 
boots and exposed my wet and almost frozen feet to the 
fire, the good sister Sanders gave me a cup of cofiee. The 
wind, 'tis true, whistled through the open cracks in the new 
log cabin, but this was far better than shivering all night alone 
on the bank of some swollen creek ahead, or perhaps, in the 
midst of my gi'eat sufiering, exposing my life by trying to 
swim it after night. While drinking my cofiee, I inquired 
if the landlord had guns and ammunition. This was an- 
swered in the aflSrmative. I asked if the dogs would tree 
turkej^s. To this a like answer was returned. Still drink- 
ing my cofi'ee, I ordered the guns put in good order, assur- 
ing the family that my Master had a storehouse down in the 
adjacent creek bottom, and that we would soon have plenty 
of meat. 

I soon passed out of the cabin, with brother Sanders' 
little son and the dogs at my heels. The dogs, understand- 



236 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

ing what was wanted, preceded us into the creek bottom, 
same half a mile distant, and soon the fluttering turkeys 
were seeking protection among the trees. I was on the 
ground in double-quick, and a fine gobbler perched upon a 
limb, almost right over my head. Here I was much per- 
plexed. The strong stick in my Master's meat-house sup- 
ported the magnificent turkey well, as he stretched his long 
neck and side wise turned his eye on me, uttering, " Put ! 
put ! " But the old rifle in my hand had a flint and steel 
lock, and, in holding the gun up in a perpendicular posi- 
tion, I feared, when the pan flew open, that the powder, 
instead of taking fire, would empty itself into my eyes. 
In that event the feathers would carry off the meat, and I 
would not be able to shoot another. But little time was 
given to hesitation, and taking good aim I shut both eyes 
and pulled the trigger. Fortunately, down came the turkey, 
and no powder entered my eyes. By the time it was dark, 
we were back at the camp with several turkeys. One was 
immediately dressed and hung before the fire, in regular 
backwoods style. This was truly an earnest time for the 
preacher and the family. 

The clothing I wore was getting a little more comforta- 
ble. But on opening my saddle-bags I found everything 
saturated with water from the creek I swam in the evening. 
My heart was very sad when I found my old Jerusalem 
blade and the old Concordance that I had carried for twenty- 
five years perfectly wet. Everj^thing was spread before the 
fire, and the turkej?- and coffee were tasted with a sharp rel- 
ish. Texans are famous for good strong coffee, and the 
flavor of that turkey was beyond description. 

Old sister Sanders has gone to her reward, and the old 
brother, when last heard from, was full of age and infirmi- 



PIONEER PREACHING. 237 

ties. One year ago, while on a visit to Marlin, I met the 
little boy who was with me when I shot the turke}^ and 
spent a night in his family. Twenty-five years have made a 
great change in the country where this occurred, and have 
changed the boy into the head of a considerable family. 

The night's rest was quite refreshing, and as the clear 
golden sunbeams of the morning appeared, we thanked God 
together for temporal and spiritual good. Preachers, I 
think, ought always to try to make themselves useful. On 
this occasion I rejoiced in my ability to use a gun with suc- 
cess, as in other instances mentioned and to be mentioned. 
A visit was made to the creek, but it was not considered 
safe yet to cross it. A deer was killed, at this time very 
acceptable, and on our return to camp the wagon was in 
with provisions from below. Another day was spent wait- 
ing for the creeks to fall, and Springfield was reached in time 
for the appointment. The little church was already receiv- 
ing strength by additions to the original number. 

"We now crossed Richland creek, and passing preached at 
Corsicana. Only a few small houses there then. Chambers' 
creek was crossed and an appointment filled in a settlement 
beyond, where the Providence church was organized in July, 
1846, without any minister present but myself, with fourteen 
members. People from a long distance off met us there in 
March and afterwards, and we had a large congregation for 
that day, which met us regularly. 

As I retraced my steps homeward, I turned up Richland 
creek, and visited brother N. T. Byars, preaching in his 
communitj^ According to my recollection, he had some 
time previous to this organized the church known as Society 
Hill. Sometimes on my return I preached at Springfield. 
On my arrival at the little Brazos the weather was quite 



238 FLOWERS AND FRUITk. 

cold, the canoe on the opposite side, and nobody in sight or 
hearing. Here was another large swollen stream to swim. 
Reaching home, I. filled my appointment where the Little 
River church was organized in 1847, with six white and one 
colored member, by Z. N. Morrell. 

You now have the history of one month's work performed 
by a pioneer missionary. A change of horses was required 
every trip, and these trips were made in succession, 
monthly, for two j^ears, making over seven thousand miles. 
My salary each year was two hundred and fifty dollars, 
and the last year I spent three hundred dollars to keep 
myself in horses. 

In the fall of 1846 the old Union Association received 
into her bounds a valuable addition of ministers. No ship 
that ever ploughed the waves between New Orleans and 
Galveston, I suppose, ever brought at one time a more 
valuable cargo for Texas than the one that landed Elders 
J. W. D. Creath, P. B. Chandler, Henry L. Graves and 
Noah Hill. Elder Graves came, under a call from the 
Board of Trustees of Baylor University, to take his posi- 
tion as president of the school. The others came under 
appointment of the Board of the Southern Baptist Con- 
vention, as missionaries. Over a quarter of a century has 
passed, and three of the number still live. 

Elder Noah Hill passed to his reward on high in the fall 
of 1867, having faithfully devoted twenty-one years of the 
prime of his life in Texas to the cause of the Master whom 
he loved much. I formed his acquaintance first at the ses- 
sion of Union Association, held with the church at Houston 
in 1847, and met him frequently afterwards. Many a time 
have the fires of my soul burned under the strains of his 
pious eloquence. 



PIONEER PREACHING. 239 

He was born in Rutherford County, North Carolina, in 
1811, and was baptized in 1837. He was married in early 
life, and with a wife and three children he moved to Mercer 
University, and there acquired an education. Largely im- 
bued with the mission spirit, he accepted the appointment 
alluded to, and coming to Texas, settled first at Matagorda, 
preaching much in the adjacent country. In the midst of 
the storm that swept over that beautiful city on our coast, 
he suffered much loss and moved into the interior. Wash- 
ington and Fayette Counties long felt the power of this 
earnest preacher, while he served as pastor both at Lagrange 
and Brenham. 

As a preacher, his zeal and earnestness, upheld by a large 
benevolence, were felt by all men and congregations with 
whom he came in contact. His head was full of waters, and 
his eyes a fountain of tears, that wept freely over lost sin- 
ners. Those who heard him in the midst of his masterly 
exhortations can never forget him. He was sound in doc- 
trine and pressed his conclusions with power. Large numbers 
repented under his appeals. He preached to the heart. 

Modest and unassuming in his manners, he never sought 
position in any of our general meetings. Seldom could he 
be induced to make speeches, even on questions of great 
interest. In the pulpit he was always at home, and the 
people heard him gladly. The effect produced on my mind 
under two of his efforts will never be forgotten. One 
was made before the Little River Association, at Lex- 
ington, Burleson County, and the other before the Baptist 
State Convention at Anderson. On the former occasion he 
preached on " faith, hope and charity," and as he showed 
the successive steps of the believer, from the moment trust 
in Jesus possessed his soul, until faith was lost in sight, 



240 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

hope in glad fruition, and he entered the boundless sea of 
everlasting love in heaven, our souls leaped for joy that 
was '•'- inexpressible and full of glory." On the latter occa- 
sion he plead the mission cause on Sunday, at eleven 
o'clock, before the Baptist State Convention, in which he 
showed himself master of the glorious theme. Towards 
the close of his life he suffered under great bodily afflic- 
tions. A sermon in his memory was preached by Elder E. 
C. Burleson, to the congregation at Brenham, in 1868, where 
he held his last pastorate. The text suggests the power of 
his influence : "He being dead yet speaketh." 




CHAPTER XXI. 

THE RACE TRACK AT SPRINGFIELD. 1846. 

C>^ C^lj^^ HEN I indicated to the brethren and friends in 
my old field, in Union Association, my inten- 
tion to occupy the field now embraced in Trin- 
ity River and Richland Associations, they protested against 
it ; some of them declaring that life would be hazarded 
among cut-throats and desperadoes. But I never did have 
any fears in going into any territory occupied by people 
speaking my mother-tongue. There is something in the 
name of Jesus that will overcome prejudice and produce 
respect for the minister who, with discretion, declares it 
faithfully ; and with kindness, moderation, and firmness, a 
victory may be gained over our worst enemies. 

Springfield, in 1846, was the head-centre for a large num- 
ber of gamblers and professional racers. Some of these 
were desperate men, with the blood of their fellows upon 
their hands. Some fifty families lived in and around the 
little village. There stood the grog-shop, — the enemy to 
peace and good society, to say nothing of Christianity. I 
rarely ever got far enough on the frontier to avoid these 
sinks of sin. God have mercy upon the man that measures 
liquid fire to his neighbor by the quart ! He may be recog- 
nized in decent society here, but the terrors of the second 
death hang upon his future pathway. 

Near the town was a race-track on which much labor had 

241 



242 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

been expended, and from many miles, in almost every direo 
tiou, at certain seasons of the year, sportsmen brought 
trained horses to this track, either to win or lose large sums 
of money. The characters that hung round the old town of 
Washington in 1837, of whom I have written, and the dis- 
turbers that tried me sorely at Huntsville in 1845, had 
taught me some important lessons, while I taught them and 
others the way of life. If you want to get a victory over 
animal or man, the best policy is not to let him get the start 
of you. This lesson, I take it for granted, was taught by 
the Saviour, when he said, "Be wise as serpents." These 
characters I watched with a jealous eye, on mj new field of 
labor, intending to do them all the good I could ; but at the 
same time determined, in answer to prayer, that my Master 
should get the victory. My former conflicts caused me to 
whet my ingenuity to a keen edge, in the event of an issue. 

As the spring advanced and summer drew nigh, the ordi- 
nance of baptism was demanded for the first time at Spring- 
field, and administered. The people " from all the regions 
round about " came to witness it. The races were on hand 
for the following week, and gamblers, from near and from 
far, were on the ground. 

The baptism was over, and the time drawing near for 
preaching. The gamblers, about fifty in number, retired to 
the grocery to get a drink. I was having more trouble than 
usual in getting my mind centred upon a text and a subjiect. 
A little season was given to prayer, under the hill hard by ; 
but as I walked toward the court-house where we preached, 
no light appeared. Preachers who read this will know how 
I felt. As I passed close by the grocerj^, on my way, I 
observed that the door was shut, and the fifty sportsmen fol- 
lowed after me. This was more than I expected, but It 



THE RACE TRACK AT SPRINGFIELD. 243 

afforded much gratification. The reflection passed through 
my mind that these men would not pray for me, and my 
spirit was somewhat cast down. An expression from Paul 
now fastened itself upon my mind, and a train of thought, 
formerly digested, came to my relief. Soon all were quietly 
seated, the sportsmen by themselves, and, after the usual 
preliminaries, the text was announced : — 

"Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so 
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight 
and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run 
with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto 
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." — Hebrews xii. 
1,2. 

"Religion is true. A cloud, a great cloud of witnesses 
hovers about us, bearing testimony to its divine authen- 
ticity. Man's own conscience, in the light of revealed truth, 
bears witness to the fact that he is a sinner, estranged from 
God, and deserving punishment. The claims of religion are 
pressed upon him, in this helpless state, designed and able 
to bring him back to God. By nature he is rebellious, and, 
according to Scripture declaration, an unbeliever. 

" As the jury, a short time past, was impannelled in that 
box (pointing to my right), and sworn to decide, according 
to law and testimony, the guilt or innocence of the man who 
was tried for his life, so, at this hour, you may consider 
yourselves sworn in before God, the mighty Judge, to decide 
your guilt or innocence, and, at the same time, which race 
you will run to-morrow. 

" First: when the eye of man, in ancient days, beheld the 
heavens spread out like a curtain and dotted with millions 
of blazing orbs of light, God declared by the mouth of his 
servant David, in the nineteenth Psalm, that ' The heavens 



244 FLOWERS AND FRUIT fi, 

declare tlie glory of God, and the firmament showeth his 
handy-work.' He further declared by the mouth of the 
great apostle, who was caught up to the third heaven, that 
' The invisible things of him from the creation of the world 
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are 
made, even his eternal power and Godhead ; so that they 
are without excuse.' — Eomans i. 20. 

" The testimony given by the creation and these glorious 
manifestations certainly establishes the fact in the mind of 
every juror, that there is a God, a migJaty God, the father 
of us all. None but a fool will return the verdict, ' that 
there is no God.' 

" The second point taken in this case is that part of the 
testimony rendered by the Word of God. The witness is 
full of age, and clearly testifies what he saw and heard. 
Long before the morning stars appeared, or ever the sons of 
God shouted for joy, this * Word was with God, and the 
Word was God.' His testimony was never doubted in 
heaven, among the angelic throng who ever sing his praise. 
Early in the history of man, he made known the promise 
that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the 
serpent. More than seven hundred years before the shout- 
ing angel host declared the presence of the new-born King, 
Isaiah saw, with prophetic eye, the scenes trranspiring in 
Bethlehem, and wrote, ' Unto us a child is born, unto us a 
son is given ; and the government shall be upon his 
shoulder ; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsel- 
lor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince 
of Peace.' The prophet Micah, hundreds of years before, 
was told the place of his birth and the character of the per- 
sonage. ' But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be 
little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall 



THE liACE TRACK AT SPRINGFIELD. 245 

he come forth unto me that is to be ruler hi Israel ; 
whose goings forth have been from of old from everlast- 
ing.' The birth, the life, the cruel death, and triumphant 
resurrection of the Son of God, are facts clearly set forth 
under the testimony of our second witness, and he who 
doubts must be damned, 'because he hath not believed in 
the name of the only-begotten Son of God.' 

"The third witness on the stand is the Spirit of God. 
The prophets, long before, foretold his coming. Jesus while 
on earth made promise, that when he left the Father would 
send ' the Spirit of truth.' On the day of Pentecost he came 
with ' a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, 
and filled all the house where they (the disciples) were sit- 
ting.' His testimony quickens, enlightens, sanctifies, com- 
forts and saves. He convicts of sin, and faithfully points 
to the remedy, Jesus, who is both the priest and sacri- 
fice. 

" In the fourth place, I bid you pause, and consider well 
the testimony given by the long line of witnesses, — from 
Abel, who 'offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice 
than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was right- 
eous, God testifying of his gifts ; ' to the patriarch 
Abraham, who believed God, and it was imputed unto 
him for righteousness ; — ' and to the list of saints, under 
both dispensations, who have testified that God has power 
on earth to forgive sins. 

" Men were trained in ancient times, in the East, both to 
fight and run. Before entering upon the track to run for the 
prize, they were required to spend months under the most 
rigid rules of diet and exercise, and then in the race every 
garment that would offer the least obstruction was laid 
aside. 



246 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

" In connection with oriental customs, let us consider, on 
this occasion, some of the usages of modern racing, that 
may serve us in illustrating the Christian's flight along the 
race-track of life, for the glorious prize and crown of re- 
joicing that lie in full view of the eye of faith, at the end 
of his race. Before me I see quite a number of gentlemen, 
of all ages, from the youth in his teeijs to the man past the 
meridian of life, who expect to enter their horses upon that 
beautiful track on the prairie, about a half mile from where 
I stand, towards the rising sun, to-morrow morning at ten 
o'clock. If I make mistakes in stating the preparations 
required and the laws that govern the track, there are gen- 
tlemen here who can and who have permission to cor- 
rect me. 

" Men, in ancient times, were frequently trained, like your 
horses now, to run with weights on the feet, and sometimes 
heavy burdens on the back. Eelieved of these weights, the 
animal feels greatly encouraged and bounds eagerly away. 
God sometimes allows grievous burdens and temptations to 
be placed upon his people, who run for the prize, and \)y 
suddenly removing these allows them rapidly to ascend the 
shining way. Men were not permitted, among the ancients, 
the use of wine or any strong drink, during the months of 
training. It enfeebled the muscles, and if indulged in on 
the day of the race made the man reel upon the track, and 
perhaps brought him in collision with his opponent. Hence 
the use of wine and strong drink was strictly forbidden. 
Large quantities of food, highly seasoned, have been 
denied your horses now for several days, as every ex- 
perienced racer among you knows that full-fed horses are 
both sluggish and clumsy. Temperance and moderation 
are lessons everywhere inculcated for the government of 



THE RACE TRACK AT SPRINGFIELD. 247 

those who would successfully run the Christian race. The 
indulgence of every wicked passion stupefies and retards 
the man of God in the pursuit of spiritual ends. 

" Among civilized nations there are rules and customs in 
war that the honorable never violate. So among sportsmen 
there are stipulations and well-known regulations, to which 
the honorable among your number rigidly adhere. He who 
would cheat and defraud hesitates not to tax the ingenuity 
of his deceit behind the curtain, and, with a lie in his heart, 
sign the rules governing an honorable race. Honest men 
would spurn the suggestion of ' cross-balancing ' a competi- 
tor's horse. 

" Lest some of the audience may not understand the 
plirase, I will suggest that the smith employed to shoe the 
horse is sometimes bribed. The shoes are made of unequal 
weight by inserting in one a plate of lead. This is done 
with so much ingenuity that the owner is not at all likely to 
discover it. The horse in this condition is greatly hin- 
dered. 

" The honest racer would on no account allow the horse 
that was relied on to win his thousands to be beaten by 
moonshine, in the presence of a few witnesses, that upon 
this information others might be led into a snare and lose 
their money. [Here there was some uneasiness and elbow- 
ing. In a low tone, one said, 'He has been there and 
knows all about it.'} In my boj'hood daj^s, in Tennessee, 
on several occasions, I rode upon the track and got an 
insight into some of the tricks of the swindlers. [A voice, 
' I told you so.'] Miserable fellows the}^ are. Among the 
ancient, honorable racers, such characters, when detected. 
were ruled out as perjured villains ; and when men are 
guilty of these things now they ought to be ruled out and 



248 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

never allowed to enter again. ' Provide things honest in 
the sight of men ' is a scriptural injunction ; and the man, 
professing Christianity, who gets position or riches at the 
expense of his neighbor's welfare, deserves to be ruled out 
of the Christian race. 

" The text describes a spiritual race, gives the qualifica- 
tions for it, and the weight that must be thrown aside. 
"We all, as Christians, have vulnerable parts. These weaker 
defences in human character Satan well knows, and against 
these he makes his strong assaults. These attacks lead us 
into the besetting sin. ' The sin that doth so easily beset 
us' must be ferreted out and studiously held in "check. 
Thus we lay aside the weight. 

" We inquire first for the preacher's weight. It may be 
his want of faith in God. Difficulties, like dark clouds, 
hang upon his pathway, driving away, to all human appear- 
ances, prospects of success. Enemies to religion, deceivers, 
and those who corrupt the youth of the country, have infiu- 
ences where and when he seems to have none. Sacrifices 
and dangers hang upon his pathway. In the midst of his 
trouble, and in the absence of that strong faith in God that 
rises above the clouds, Satan whispers, 'All the kingdoms 
of the world and the glory of them are mine.' ' All these 
things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship 
me.' 

''Pride sometimes enters the preacher's heart, and the 
devil sits by Mm in the pulpit, tells him of the great num- 
ber of souls he has been the honored instrument in convert- 
ing, tells him of the powerful efi'ects of his sermons, and 
whispers flattery and lies in his ' itching ears ' until he is. 
almost beside himself with vanity. The devil kno.ws that 
Qod dfisjpises vanity, and hence he i£! always glad of a 



THE RACE TRACK AT SPRINGFIELD. 249 

chance to stuff a preacher full of it. Full of this, he labors 
to please men ; and Paul declared, ' If I yet please men, 
then would I not be the servant of Christ.' 

" The preacher must have ' his loins girt about with truth.* 
When Satan can get a man into the pulpit preaching tradi- 
tions, ' teaching for doctrines the commandments of men,' 
he regards him and those who follow him an easy prey. 
Without the girdle of truth, which is the word of God, the 
preacher is weak in the back, and certainly unfit for a race. 
The truth is powerful. An old soldier said, ' The truth will 
stand alone as soon as it is born, but falsehood will fall with 
all the props that men can place around it.' A minister 
should never take the truth to knock error down. Truth 
should simply be placed by the side of error. As light 
appears, darkness hides itself. As Dagon fell in the pres- 
ence of the Ark, so error melts away in the presence of 
truth. 

"What is true of the minister, as already stated, applies 
with force to deacons, appointed as officers in the church 
of God. If in the exercise of their office faithfulness is 
wanting at any point, and they do not rule well over the 
department under their special care, the devil wields, 
through their neglect, a mighty influence. The support of 
the pastor, expense of keeping the house of God in good 
order, and the care of the poor of the flock, are all placed on 
them. They are only required to pay an individual part ; 
but they are full of weight and disqualified for the race as 
long as they have any disposition to surrender, short of the 
accomplishment of their work. 

"We now pass to the multitude asking permission to 
enter this race. This clasg embraces the king on his throne, 



250 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

and the peasant with his hoe. While all are included, the 
same qualifications are required of all. 

" First, as these are all sinners, ' dead in trespasses and 
sins,' blind and under the power of darkness, they must be 
made alive, and sight given instead of blindness. Dead 
men cannot walk, and blind men cannot see to run for a 
prize. Quickened by the power of the Spirit of God, the 
hand of faith takes hold on truth, and the eye of faith sees 
' Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith.' 

" The second step to take is the oath of allegiance to him 
who instituted the Christian race. Jesus is the author and 
finisher. As he was buried and rose again, he requires 
that his disciples shall testify, by their burial in baptism, 
and their resurrection from the watery grave, their belief 
in him. Determined to ' walk in newness of life,' their 
sins must be laid aside, and the love of them ; and ' for- 
getting the things that are behind,' they are fully prepared 
to enter the race, with immortality and eternal life as the 
prize offered by Christ at the end. If you are not prepared 
to run this race, clear the track, and dare not throw an 
obstacle in our way. 

" In the midst of the confusion and excitement in arrang- 
ing for the race, men sometimes fail to be ready at the set 
time. Sometimes the stakes agreed upon are not there, and 
again the horse and his rider won't be controlled and sub- 
mit to the rules governing the race. In either case your 
judges rule them out, and demand a forfeit for the failure. 
The Judge who decides the qualifications for this spiritual 
race cannot be deceived. Those demanding entrance must 
possess the legal qualifications, or be driven away with the 
payment of a fearful forfeit. To-morrow morning, ten 
o'clock, will find some of you unprepared for the race on the 



THE RACE TRACK AT SPRINGFIELD. 251 

Springfield track, and in the midst of j^oiir high anticipa- 
tions, indulged in for months, the disappointment and mor- 
tification will be very great, when, under the regulations, the 
forfeit of a hundred or a thousand dollars is demanded. 
The forfeit that is demanded of all who fail to make due and 
timely preparation for this spiritual race is not so easily 
paid. In the paj^ment of this forfeit, the deathless spirit 
must take hold of terrors that hang around the second 
death. A failm-e to enter is the forfeit of soul, body, peace 
and happiness forever. 

" The ' Prince of the power of the air ' furnishes a num- 
ber of horses for the race-track of life, and promises the 
rider that he shall win happiness as the prize. Riches, 
honor, pleasure and passion are silver-mounted steeds, and 
Satan asserts that they are swift as the wind. Although 
they have failed, in a thousand instances, to win the prize 
that was promised, allured by the beauty of the horse, and 
deceived by the promises of his Satanic majesty, men con- 
tinue, in large numbers, to hazard everything upon theh' 
speed. 

" By the side of these trained steeds, I'll enter, to-day, the 
white liorse of the gospel^ and stcike my all^ body, soul, and 
spirit, — my interests for time and eternity, — u]3on the race, 
with happiness, immortality and eternal life, to be reached 
at the end. For over five thousand years men have been 
risking their all upon this horse, and as yet he never has 
lost a race. Wicked men, it is ti'ue, once crucified and 
slew him, and rejoiced for a season over his downfall, as he 
slept in the grave ; but he had power to lay down his life, 
and power to take it up again. On the third bright 
morn, mocking the pretensions of the devil and his minions, 
he chained death to his chariot wheel, and swifter than the 



252 FLOWERS AND FBUITS, 

wind, when forty days had passed, he sped his way to the 
heavenly court, and grasped the prize, bearing with him the 
first fruits of the resurrection. As he entered the ttvenae 
that revealed his approach to the gates of the eternal city, 
the shout of the angel hosts reverberated along the vaults 
of heaven, ' Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; and be ye 
lifted up, ye everlasting doors ; and the King of glory shall 
come in.' He has ' led captivity captive ' and ' received 
gifts for men.' 

"Around me to-day are a few who have counted up 
the cost, and equipped, as the laws governing this spiritual 
race direct, are running, with the flight of time, ' the race 
that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and 
finisher of our faith ; who, for the joy that was set before 
him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set 
down at the right hand of the throne of God.' In this 
wilderness of Texas we are determined, under God, to do all 
that we can to lay broad and deep the foundations of society 
upon gospel principles, and hope, through grace, at last to 
win the prize. And now, I warn all, that he who runs on 
any other track than that which is stained with Jesus' blood 
loses everything and gains nothing." 

I will not affirm that this was the sermon, verbatim, 
preached at Springfield. No notes were ever made of it, ex- 
cept in my memory ; but impressions were made upon my mind 
that are vivid still, and I know that this is the substance. 

I left the place greatly mortified, and cast down in my 
feelings, believing that I had lowered the dignity of the 
pulpit ; and that instead of magnifying my office and in- 
spiring respect for the ministers of Jesus, I had furnished 
grounds for jesting and merriment on the race-ground the 



THE RACE TRACK AT SPRINGFIELD. 253 

following week. I tried to forget it, and erase the sermon 
and the occasion that called it forth from the book of m}^ 
recollection. The greater the effort, the more signal the 
failure. My troubles and misgivings relative to it but 
served to burn it the more deeply upon my mind. 

One thing I observed: at my subsequent appointments 
at the place, marked respect and attention were given from 
the local members of this club ; but this manifestation never 
justified me, in my own estimation, for using in the pulpit 
the phrases of racers and gamblers, and thereby revealing 
to the people at large my familiarity with the conversation 
and customs of the profession. 

Fourteen years afterwards I attended a session of the 
Trinity Eiver Association, and there was accosted, by a 
warm-hearted, intelligent gentleman, with the appellation of 
brother. He shook my hand cordially, and, seeing I did not 
recognize him, reminded me of the sermon to the racers in 
1846, when, as he said, I bet on the tvJiite Jiorse of the gos- 
pel. He repeated the text, and, after stating some of the 
more prominent positions taken in the sermon, said, " I was 
one of that crowd of racers. I had a white horse on the 
track the following week. The sermon was common talk 
during the races, and every time I looked at my white horse 
I was forcibly reminded of the white horse of the gospel. 
After I left that place God gave me no rest till peace was 
given by faith in Christ." He had been a member of the 
church for j^ears, and was an active member of Trinity 
River Association. What was true in his case, he said 
was true in the case of a number of others of the same 
crowd. This was the first comfort since the sermon was 
delivered. 

It is fifty years since I entered the ministry, and, after 



254 ' FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

mature deliberation, I here record my conviction that there 
are too many strait-jacket, tight-laced, cut-and-clried ser- 
mons delivered. I mean by this sermons prepared for cer- 
tain hours, and delivered irrespective of the surroundings 
at the time. A sermon may be good on one occasion that 
is entirely inappropriate for another. Subjects and sermons 
ought to be studied, and studied profoundly ; but if the 
preacher finds that the congregation is composed of sinners, 
when he was expecting saints, then he had better lay aside 
his sermon on election and preach on repentance, even at the 
risk of criticism. Subjects well chosen make half the bat- 
tle, and Satan trembles when the preacher takes good aim. 




CHAPTER XXII. 

TWO ASSOCIATIONS.- — 1847. 

O year, in the early history of Texas Baptists, 
dawned upon us with brighter prospects than 
1847. From the south came news of the most 
cheering character. Huckins at Galveston, Try- 
on at Houston, and Hill at Matagorda, were receiving and 
reporting evidences of divine favor. Chandler was at La^ 
grange, and Creath at Huntsville, realizing those blessings 
that attended the missionaries of the Marion Board so, long 
in Texas. Henry L. Graves, the first president of Baylor 
University, already was enjoying an earnest of that success 
which rested upon the beloved institution during the 3^ears 
that followed. Hosea Garrett, in Washington County, and 
R. E. B. Baylor, on his district as judge, preaching wher- 
ever he went, both rejoiced on their respective fields ; while 
N. T. Bj^ars and Z. N. Morrell were, under God, laying the 
foundations of the Trinity River Association. 

East of the Trinity River, churches were springing up in 
different sections that were soon to be banded together in 
associations ; and from every quarter of the State, wherever 
the gospel was preached, God poured out his Spirit and 
revived his work. Previously the strength that gathered 
around the infant churches was principally from immigra- 
tion ; but now large accessions were being received by bap- 
tism, and anticipations formerly indulged were being real- 

255 



256 FLOWERS ANT) FRUITS. 

ized. 1846 laid the foundation for blessings in large meas- 
ure realized during the years that followed. Ascending 
the hill to that beautiful spot occupied by Baylor Univer- 
sity, which presented then and does still a scenery in every 
direction of surpassing grandeur, and looking across the 
prairies stretching every way, north, east, south, and west, 
I frequently, in 1847, held up my head and rejoiced that the 
wilderness was blooming as the rose. 

At the eighth annual session of the Union Association, in 
1847, the churches at Lagrange, Macedonia, Plum Grove, 
Bethany, and Rocky Creek, petitioned for letters of dismis- 
sion, having in view the organization of a new association. 
The letters were granted, and a committee, consisting of 
Elders Garrett, Huckins, Tryon, Morrell, and brother J. M. 
Hill, was appointed to aid the churches in forming the new 
organization. 

Delegates from nine churches, representing one hun- 
dred and nineteen Baptists, met with the Rocky Creek 
church, in Lavaca County, on Thursday before the third 
Sunday in November, 1847, and, after a sermon from Elder 
Z. N. Morrell, called Elder Hosea Garrett to the chair. So 
soon as the letters were read the convention was organized 
by electing Eider Noah Hill, President, and T. J. Pilgrim, 
Recording Secretary. Articles of faith were read and 
adopted, and the first article of their Constitution declared 
that " This Association shall be called the Colorado 
Baptist Association .'' 

The Association was then organized, by electing Elder 
Richard Ellis, moderator, and Thomas J. Pilgrim, clerk. 
Some of the churches composing this body were among the 
first organized in the State. Six counties were represented 
by the nine churches, and the territory reached from the 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 257 

city of Austin to the coast, and as far west as thie Guadalupe 
River. 

The first moderator of the Colorado Association was 
Richard Ellis, a Virginian by birth. He came to Texas in 
1837, at the age of twenty-four, and solicited employmen'. 
from me, in the old town of Washington, on his arrival in 
the State. He was a young man of enterprise and great in- 
dustry, giving evidence of that perseverance that maiked 
the man in his ministerial work. We have sometimes been 
led to doubt the conversion of men, who claimed to be 
Christians, in the midst of laziness. A man that can't be 
cured of this disease had better follow something else than 
preaching. We had no saw-mills in Texas then, and being 
in need of lumber, brother Ellis seized the whip-saw and 
rendered me some valuable assistance. He was a young 
man of great piety, and at the time he was with me, in 
1837, was under impressions to preach. The most, however, 
that we could induce him to do, was to pray in public, 
which he did in the midst of the scoffers at Washington, 
described in a previous chapter. He moved to the Colorado, 
and became a member of the Macedonia church, some eight 
or ten miles below Austin. This church was organized in 
May, 1841, by Elders R. E, B. Baylor and J. Woodruff. 

By this church he was licensed, and as there were no min- 
isters at hand to ordain him, and as none could visit them 
at the time, he was sent down the river to Plum Grove^ and 
set apart to his work, in the presence of that church, by 
Elders R. E. B. Baylor and Z. N. Morrell, in 1842. 

Brother Ellis was a man of strong mind, with only a 
medium English education ; yet his words were always ac- 
ceptable, and his speech of great power. Zealous in the 
great cause he had espoused, he devoted to it all the 



258 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

energies of his manhood ; and in the pulpit, every movement 
of his body, flash of his eye, and utterance of his tongue, 
revealed the soul of earnestness. A number of commu- 
nities, in the bounds of the Colorado Association, felt the 
power of his ministry, and as the rising man among the 
churches, he was placed in the moderator's chair. 

He was a man of great usefulness ; but his ministry was 
of short duration. He exerted himself powerfully in his 
sermons, and many of us suppose that he passed to the 
grave prematurely in consequence of it. The date and cir- 
cumstances of his death are not before me. 

Thomas J. Pilgrim, the modest, unassuming, intelligent, 
pious, model Christian gentleman, was the first clerk of the 
Colorado Association. He was in Texas in 1829, and the 
superintendent of a Sunday school at San Filipe, of thirty- 
two scholars, the first organized in Texas. He has been 
appropriately styled the Sunday-school man of Texas, not 
only because he founded the first, but because he has con- 
tributed all in his power to promote the Sunday-school 
cause, during all these forty-three years past. The church 
at Gronzales has long enjoyed the counsels and personal 
influence of this faithful servant, who was still living when 
last heard from. 

The second session of the Colorado Association was held 
in the city of Aualin in 1848. The church at Austin was 
organized by Elder R. H. Taliaferro, in July, 1847, Avith 
eight members. He was their pastor at the time the asso- 
ciation convened with the church, and with only short in- 
termissions has filled the position up to the present 
time. 

Brother Taliaferro came to Texas, as a missionaiy, early 
in 1847, and located at Austin in February, previous to the 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 259 

organization of the church in July. The Colorado valley 
has long been blessed with the ministry of this eloquent 
preacher. Simple in his manners and conversation, making 
the little child rejoice in his presence, he may justly be 
styled the Apollos of the Texas churches. At all our 
general convocations, which he attended regularly, previous 
to the war, none who heard him forgot the power of his 
imagination and the passion of his eloquence. 

He has always been a close student, and as a writer has 
few superiors. He filled for some time the office of asso- 
ciate editor of the Texas " Baptist Herald," and hundreds of 
Baptists eagerly read every article that appeared over his 
signature. 

The churches composing this body were greatly blessed. 
They had an efficient ministry, and, as the resources of 
Western Texas developed, churches sprang into existence. 
Accessions of new churches appear in the minutes of every 
meeting, and from nine churches, in 1847, with one hundred 
and nineteen members, the number continued to increase 
until 1858, when the minutes show forty-six churches, with 
a membership of nineteen hundred and seventy-two. 

Elder P. B. Chandler was chosen moderator, in 1849, at 
its third session, and was honored with this position fre- 
quently afterwards. Brother Chandler came to Texas, as a 
missionary appointed by the Domestic Mission Board of 
the Southern Baptist Convention, in the fall of 1846, and 
located at Lagrange, Fayette County. He has ever been 
consistent both in theory and practice. Sound in the faith 
at all times, he has always allowed his moderation to be 
known unto all men. He has been very useful among his 
churches and ever enjoyed their confidence. He has never 
appeared as a shooting, blazing comet, now here and then 



260 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

yonder, sometimes flashing and again invisible, but has 
steadily maintained his hold on the affections of his people 
and quietly toiled on among them in word and doctrine. 

The leading spirits in this body have always been mis- 
sion men. No disorganizing, anti-missionary element ever 
embarrassed the aggressive policy of the Colorado Associa- 
tion. Those who moulded public sentiment in this body 
from the beginning were themselves missionaries, and in 
active sympathy with the Boards in the east. With such 
men as Hill, Taliaferro, Chandler and Ellis, active and yet 
acting in perfect harmony, nothing but success might have 
been expected. In 1850, after receiving some aid from the 
Baptist State Convention, the association was reaping the 
benefits of one half the time of Elder J. H. Stribling, en- 
gaged as missionary. The following extract from his 
report at the fourth session shows something of his work 
and the vast field to be occupied : — 

" Since my appointment until this date I have travelled 
one thousand four hundred and sixty miles ; preached fifty- 
five sermons, and delivered twenty-three lectures and exhor- 
tations. I have visited and preached at the towns of Whar- 
ton, Matagorda, Texana, Port Lavaca, Indianola, Peters- 
burg, Halletsville, Seguin, Gonzales, and other destitute 
portions of the country 

"Multiplied scores around us are calling for some one 
to break to them the bread of life. Our contiguity to Mex- 
ico, with its numerous multitudes oppressed by superstition 
and moral degradation, gives us facilities to improve their 
civil and religious condition not formerly enjoyed. Our 
German population is in a condition scarcely less deplor- 
able. Nor should we neglect the important duty of water- 
ing where we have already planted in the Lord's vineyard. 



TJFO ASSOCIATIONS. 261 

" Our encouragements for increased energy and devotion 
are great. Weak and inadequate as our efforts have been, 
we have much cause for gratitude to God. Hitherto the 
Lord has blessed us. Ah'eady has the desert waste begun 
to blossom as the rose, some fruit has been manifest, pre- 
cious souls have been redeemed, light is spreading, darkness 
is receding, and the leaven of truth is spreading through 
the minds of our population." 

At the fifth session, held with the Macedonia church in 
1851, we find a report from the Executive Board, to the 
effect that Elder J. A. Kimball was laboring as an evan- 
gelist west of the Guadalupe Eiver. 

At what time brother Kimball came to Texas I am not 
able to state definitelj^ but my impression is that he had 
not been in the State long previous to 1851. He did the 
work of an evangelist faithfully, and served as pastor at 
Seguin, Wharton, Bastrop, and other points west, in the 
early part of his Texas ministry. He has done faithful 
service among the churches in Union Association. Brother 
Kimball has done much to Indoctrinate our churches and 
stimulate our people to search for knowledge. 

He is not what the world at large would call an orator, 
but his large fund of information on all subjects with which 
he comes in contact commands the attention and respect of 
his audience. His great excellence is in his pen. This he 
wields with a master-hand, and has, during the years that are 
passed, added" much interest both to the old Texas Baptist, 
and since the war to the Texas " Baptist Herald." Some 
may say of him, as they said of Paul, that " his bodily 
presence is weak;" others may say that "his speech is 
contemptible ; " but all who read after him must say that 
^'hisjetters are^ weighty and powerful.'' 



262 FLOWEBS AND FliUITS, 

Throughout the vast territory over which the Colorado As- 
sociation sent her missionaries, churches have continued to 
spring up in large numbers, as will be seen in giving notice 
of new associations organized in the west in later years. 

While the Baptists in the west, in 1847, were a unit on 
doctrine, and acting in concert under the articles of faith 
published in the " Encyclopaedia of Eeligious Knowledge ; " 
while the necessity that gave rise to the organization of 
the Colorado Association was that the territory was too 
large for one body successfully to prosecute its work ; and 
while peace and prosperity abounded among the western 
churches, the brethren in the east were in trouble. The 
missionaries and anti-missionaries, instead of harmonizing, 
had been gradually defining the lines of disagreement since 
the organization of the Sabine Association in 1843. Elders 
Isaac Reed and Lemuel Herrin, who co-operated in the 
formation of this body, could no longer consistently act in 
concert. Reed, and those who acted with him, violently 
opposed all mission organizations. Herrin, and those acting 
with him, although in the minority, could no' longer consent 
to remain in a body that opposed mission enterprises, 
Boards, Bible Societies, and, in a word, all benevolent or- 
ganizations outside of the church. 

The minutes of the Eastern Missionary Baptist Associa- 
tion, now before me, have the following, as the .first item : 
" By agreement, the representatives from Macedonia, Hen- 
derson, Eight-mile and Border churches, met with the 
Border church, on Friday before the first Lord's day in 
December, for the purpose of forming an association." 

The convention thus assembled in December, 1847, 
adopted the Article^ of Faith contained in the " Encyclopsedia 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 263 

of Religious Knowledge," and adopted the following reso- 
lution : — 

" Resolved^ That it is due to our brethren of the Sabine 
Baptist Association, to the community at large, and to our- 
selves, that this Association should state frankly to the 
world the reasons which induced us to separate from the 
Sabine Baptist Association, and to organize the Eastern 
Missionary Baptist Association, viz. : That the Sabine Bap- 
tist Association, at its last meeting, refused to sanction the 
doctrines of the annexed circular, and declared a non-con- 
currence with its principles." The theme of the circular 
letter referred to was, " The Strength of Christian Charity," 
and the essay is in spirit and letter a missionary docu- 
ment. 

The old Border church, with which the first meeting was 
held, was in the organization of the Sabine Association, 
and, as we have before recorded, was organized, by Elders 
Reed and Herrin, in 1843, with eight members. Its loca- 
tion was in Harrison County. 

The Eight-mile church was organized in 1845, in Harrison 
County, by Elder Lemuel Herrin, with five members. 

The Macedonia church, Panola Count}^, was organized 
with thirteen members, by Elders Reed and Herrin, in 
1844. 

The date of the organization of the Henderson church. 
Rusk County, and the presbytery by whom it was con- 
stituted, are not in my possession. The minutes of 1848 
show that its number was seventeen in 1847. 

Elder Herrin was the first moderator, and J. B. Webster 
clerk. The second session was appointed for September, 
1848, to be held with the Macedonia church, and Elder D. 
Lewis was requested to preach the next introductory sermon. 



264 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

A short time after this brother Lewis paid us a visit, and 
while in Leon County we labored together at Leona. From 
him I learned much concerning the troubles that hung 
around the infant association. The enemies of the mission 
cause pressed them sorely on every hand, and the trial, of 
the brethren in the east, in their efforts to raise the standard 
of missions, reminded me forcibly of the struggles through 
which I, with others, passed on this same question, from 1830 
till 1834, in the State of Tennessee. For them and the cause 
they defended I felt an active sympathy ; but the pressing 
need for work on my field, between the Trinity and Brazos, 
required all my time and talents, and although our organ- 
izations in the west were harmonious and active, no 
preacher could be spared from his field. The death of 
brother Tryon greatly afflicted us, and we were praying 
the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers to aid in 
the cultivation of the vast field. In view of this great 
necessity, and in answer to our prayers, God sent Elder 
Jesse Witt to Texas. He was the right man in the right 
place. With a clear head, full of scriptural learning, and 
with a large heart inspired fully with the missioa spirit, he 
settled, in 1847, in San Augustine County. 

He was by birth a Virginian, received a good education, 
and in early life entered the ministry. He served for some 
time the General Association of Virginia, as agent for 
domestic missions.- Leaving this field, he accepted an ap- 
pointment of the Southern Baptist Convention, and came 
to Texas as a missionary. One year was spent in San 
Augustine County, and in 1849 he accepted the care of the 
church at Marshall. 

This church was organized in 1847 by Elders John 
Bryce and G. W. Baines, with twelve members. Of this 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 265 

and the Eight-mile church he served as pastor for several 
years, with a gradual but steady increase of membership in 
both bodies. What time he could spare from his pastoral 
work was spent among the churches and in destitute locali- 
ties in the surrounding country. He was gifted with much 
ability in strengthening and encouraging churches ; and on 
that field, at that time, there was great need of such labor. 

He was employed as general agent of the Eastern Baptist 
Convention in November, 1856, which position he filled till 
June, 1858. He came to Texas at the age of fifty, and spent 
eleven j^ears in the State under the pressure of infirmity. 
His feeble health required his resignation in June, and on 
the twenty-first of November, 1858, he died at his residence 
in the town of Marshall. 

He arrived on the field in good time to aid the brethren 
in the east who were struggling against the tide of Antino- 
mian and anti-mission principles. As true a missionary as 
ever waved the banner of the cross, he took high ground, 
and by the power of speech and patient toil did much to 
develop the mission spirit in Texas. 

In 1849, in the month of May, at the second session of 
the Baptist State Convention in the city of Houston, I first 
met him. His personal appearance did not indicate to me 
the intellectual strength with which I soon found he was 
possessed. He was a man of medium size, with an open, 
candid countenance. With an erect body and head, he 
looked the man whom he addressed in the eye, and yet 
with his manifest boldness he wore upon his face an affable, 
gentle and benevolent smile. The kindness and gentleness 
of his manner drew the heart tenderlj^ toward him. 

In the pulpit, notwithstanding his age and infirmity, he 
was a tower of strength. Although he spoke with great 



266 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

deliberation, never losing control of his voice, he was heard 
distinctly by large congregations for hours at a time. 
Some of his sermons were quite lengthy ; but he was one 
of the few men who "could continue to instruct and at the 
same time awaken deep emotions through a long discourse. 

I can never forget his sermon before the Baptist State 
Convention at one of its sessions at Independence, and I 
presume that many who read this humble testimony of his 
worth will remember it. His text, "Ye cannot serve God 
and mammon," was carefully and deliberately analyzed, 
and as he dwelt, for over two hours, upon the utter folly of 
an attempt to combine the service of God and the world 
together, every Christian heart was melted to tenderness 
and inspired with renewed fidelity to God. But few men 
can weave around the cross of Christ so much sound, strong 
doctrine in one sermon as did Jesse Witt. He passed to 
his reward ripe in years and usefulness. 

At the second session held with the Macedonia church, 
Panola County, the name was changed from "Eastern Mis- 
sionary" to " Soda Lake Baptist Association," with Elder 
Lemuel Herrin moderator, and William Davenport clerk. 
Three ministers were present : Elders Herrin, Lewis, and 
J. M. Perry. This is the first notice I have of Elder Perry 
in Texas. He served as pastor at Providence, Border, and 
other points in Harrison County, for several years, and re- 
moved to Hillsborough in Hill County. I met him first in 
the Trinity River Association in 1856. He gave evidences 
of earnestness, zeal, and great usefulness as pastor, while a 
member of this body. Li 1858 he was an active pastor of 
four prosperous churches in the Trinity River Association, 
and afterwards settled as pastor in the bounds of Union 
Association, where he still resides. 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 267 

At the organization of this association there were four 
churches, with a membership of seventy-seven. At the 
second session, in 1848, there were eight churches, with 
a membership of one hundred and twenty-five. The Enon 
church, Upshur County, that was received at this meeting, 
was organized by Elder David Lewis, in 1848, with four 
members. 

In 1850, at the fourth session, with Elder Jesse Witt as 
moderator, the report of the executive committee shows 
that the churches w^ere engaged in active missionarj^ opera- 
tions. Elder J. M. Griffin served with success the previous 
year for his whole time, at a salary of four hundred dollars. 
This was an earnest of the grand results that followed the 
operations of this body in the years succeeding, embra- 
cing a large territory and building up many churches. 

In 1850, the name of Elder Obadiah Dodson appears 
among the list of ministers in this association. The first 
work performed by him, that I have any information of, was 
the organization of Harmony church. Rusk Count}', as- 
sisted by Elder 'Ray, in 1850, with fifteen members. 

With this brother I had an intimate acquaintance in 
Tennessee, in 1826, and labored much with him there up to 
1835. He was alwaj^s an active worker, and in charge of 
from two to four churches during all the time. When I 
first knew him he was much opposed to mission combina- 
tions, but in a few years became ah active, thorough-going 
missionary, in theory and practice. 

He was a man of some ability and great zeal, mixed with 
many eccentricities. He appears, in 1851, among the active 
w^orkers in the Soda Lake Association, as the pastor of five 
churches. 

The little band, as before recorded, in withdrawing from 



268 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

the old Sabine Association, was greatly in the minority, 
but as John the Baptist said, when speaking of Christ, " He 
must increase, but I must decrease," so the Lord of the 
mission cause decided that the new organization should 
find many friends, while the body opposing earnest combi- 
nations of churches to spread the gospel was passing 
away. 

The cause of education met with a hearty response when- 
ever plead in this body, and right vigorously did the mission 
cause go forward at every session. In 1856, nine years 
after the organization, the four churches were multiplied 
into thirty-seven, scattered over the counties of Harrison, 
Upshur, Wood, Rusk, Cass, Panola and Titus ; and the 
seventy-seven Baptists, who formed the organization on 
strictly mission principles, had increased to sixteen hun- 
dred and thirty. The body still prosecuted its chosen 
work, but the territory was lessened and churches dismissed 
to form other associations. 

Long live the Colorado and Soda Lake Associations, who 
were born, as it were, twin sisters, nearly a quarter of a 
century ago, and have survived the temporal and spiritual 
conflicts that hg-ve swept over the country 1 




CHAPTEE XXIII. 

TWO ORDEALS : ONE SPIRITUAL, AND ONE CARNAL. — 1847. 

APTISTS are a peculiar people, and when the mis- 
sion spirit leads them forth to occupy new and 
destitute fields they certainly exhibit the principles, 
both in faith and practice, that link them on to tlie 
early churches planted by the apostles of the Son of God. 
Holding the belief that the kingdom of Christ established 
on earth was not temporal, but spiritual ; accepting the 
declaration of Jesus, " My kingdom is not of this world," 
as conclusive of the fact that only the spiritual Ij^-minded 
are prepared to become members of it, Baptists in all ages 
have ever contended for a converted membership in the 
churches, to the exclusion of all others. As error has no 
fellowship with truth, and as darkness flees from light, so 
the sinner in his unregenerated state can have no just con- 
ception of, nor sympathy with, the spiritual things belong- 
ing to the church of God. Here is the line that divides 
God's people and his enemies. The regenerate are his, 
while the unregenerate possess carnal minds, which are 
" enmity with God." 

Baptism is the public profession of this inward change 
and the declaration of belief in the burial and resurrection 
of Christ. It is an act of positive obedience to the law of 
Christ. The immersion of a believer in water being clearly 
taught both by precept and a number of examples, Baptists 

269 



270 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

adopt it and submit to it as an ordinance from heaven. As 
one mind governed all the New Testament churches, the 
same qualifications were required of all who asked for mem- 
bership, and the same act was submitted to in baptism. To 
suppose otherwise would be to suppose that there was diver- 
sity of opinion and contention among the early preachers, 
as there is in modern times, with reference to the subjects and 
action of baptism. We have no evidence of disagreement. 
Perfect harmony prevailed on both the subjects and the 
action. 

As belief in Christ precedes baptism in the cases re- 
corded, this order must be practised exclusively or not at 
all. If any infants may be baptized, then may all as well, 
and in that case believers' baptism would be done away. 
If any unbelievers may be admitted through the ordinance 
of baptism into the church, then may many others be ad- 
mitted as well, and the world is turned into the church. 
Christ says, " My kingdom is not of this world." 

For their rigid adherence to these principles, requiring 
candidates for membership first to give evidences of regen- 
eration, and then to submit in faith to the burial of their 
bodies in water, and, rising from the liquid grave, pledge 
themselves to walk in newness of life, Baptists have been 
much opposed in Texas, and in every other land where the 
influences of Catholicism are felt. He who opposes us on 
these grounds may with propriety re-examine his positions, 
and determine whether his doctrines are sustained by the 
Bible, or whether they are traditions descended from Eome. 

These certainly are vital questions entering into church 
polity. " Can two walk together except they be agreed ? " 
The true churches of Christ are patterned after the model 
church at Jerusalem. If the character of the membership 



TWO ordeals: oxe spiritual, axd oxe caexal. 271 

and the mauner in which the}^ were initiated be, both or 
either, condemned b}^ the word of God, then the claim of 
the organization to be a true church and authorized to 
administer the ordinances is vitiated. The Lord's Supper 
is a church ordinance. It was never intended for the world. 
Those who partake of it in an acceptable manner must 
themselves be in S3'mpath3^ with the sufferings of Christ. 
The world can't enter into this, and therefore the ordinance 
was not intended for its observance. As believers are 
required, in baptism, publicl}^ to avow their faith as the first 
step in the line of dut}- , both regeneration and baptism pre- 
cede the right to approach the table and eat the bread and 
drink the wine in memory of their dj'ing Saviour. 

Christ left these ordinances in the hands of his church 
when he ascended to glorj\ As in all well-regulated gov- 
ernments certain official acts can onl}^ be performed by offi- 
cers appointed for the purpose, so, in the church of Christ, 
he left officers to administer his ordinances. These officers, 
coming under the hands of the presbytery by order of the 
body of which they are themselves members, are authorized 
to administer the ordinances of the church. That every- 
thing may be done in order and by proper authority, the 
body claiming the right to administer ordinances must be 
composed of proper membership, with the ordinances as 
they were given, and with officers set apart according to the 
statutes of the King in Zion. 

Many difficulties, as already wi'itten, were in the way, 
both east and west, of perfect organization in Texas. The 
labor in a new countrj^ upon the part of the ministry is very 
great, and when the gospel has been preached, sinners con- 
verted and baptized, and churches formed, the trouble does 



272 flowehs and fbuits, 

not cease. In 1846 and 1847 we passed the crisis in the 
organization of the great Baptist family of Texas. 

Campbellism and the anti-mission element gave us the 
principal troubles up to this time. But now we passed the 
dangers hanging round the question of Alien Immersion. 

The sweeping tide of immigration brought Baptists to 
Texas equally as fast as they could be harmonized, and in 
some instances a little faster. Brethren in the ministr}^ 
many of them, were so anxious to secure the co-operation 
of all, that a great temptation was offered to receive all 
adult persons baptized upon a profession of their faith, 
without questioning the qualifications of the administrator 
of the ordinance of baptism. Persons coming from Ten- 
nessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and other States, where they 
had been brought up under Gampbellite and Pedobaptist 
teachings, were in some instances thrown among our Bap- 
tist communities in Texas, and after personal association 
with them, and an examination of their leading doctrines, 
loved the Baptists and their principles, both of which they 
formerly hated, and were willing to become members among 
them. In all these cases they were willing to give up sprink- 
ling and pouring, but where they had been immersed by 
Pedobaptists and Gampbellite preachers the}^ were, in 
many instances, unwilling to give up their former baptism as 
illegal, and submit to the ordinance at the hands of the Bap- 
tists. Some of us understood that the recognition of such 
baptisms as legal involved the legality not only of the or- 
dination of the minister who performed the act, but also the 
gospel order of the organization that authorized him to 
baptize. To admit this much sapped at once the founda- 
tion of Baptist faith touching a converted membership and 



TWO ordeals: one spiritual^ and one carnal. 273 

immersion of believers, by authority of the churches, at the 
hands of their legally appointed ministers. 

The decision, however, was made in favor of those who 
advocated a strict construction of the laws of the kingdom 
of Christ, and since that day the Baptists of Texas have 
never been troubled with the doctrine of Alien Immersion^ 
and I devoutly trust may never be disturbed with it again. 

Having been sorely troubled by the agitation of this 
question, the decision in favor of what I believed then, and 
yet believe, to be truth, gave my mind much rest, and I 
now devoutly thank God that during the past quarter of a 
century my lot has fallen among Baptists strongly bound 
together by a common faith on all the great questions of 
church polity. Long may this union mark our progress, 
as we increase in number. 

1847 was a year in which our ministry throughout the 
State was very active, and as the brethren in the churches 
co-operated earnestly with their preachers, the cause was 
greatly prospered. Two associations and many churches, as 
has been seen, were organized in this year, and the divine 
favor rested upon the land. 

This was my second year as missionary, under appoint- 
ment of the Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. 
My appointments were regularly filled, on the field now oc- 
cupied by the Trinity Eiver Association, and my labor, 
under great encouragements, was excessive, resulting in 
the fall with failing health and strength. 

Returning home from one of my monthly tours under the 
burning sun of August, I found myself greatly exhausted in 
consequence of a ride of one hundred miles, from Provi- 
dence church, Navarro County, north of Chambers' creek. 
After a little rest, I mounted my horse, with gun in hand, 



274 FLOWERS AND FBUITS, 

with a view, first, to look after the farm, and in the second 
place, if possible, to get a deer or turkey, as fresh meat 
was called for. The farm was in the Brazos bottom, and 
at this season of the year the weeds were about four feet 
high. Passing round the field, I watched every motion of 
the weeds, expecting every moment to see a deer or turkey. 
Pi-esently my attention was called to my right, and about 
thirty steps from my path my eyes flashed upon the head 
of an old bear, standing on her hind feet, and looking 
straight at me. My horse was wild, and I dared not shoot 
from my position in the saddle. Leaping to the ground as 
quickly as possible, my rifle was levelled, and the mark at 
which I aimed was just behind the left shoulder of the 
animal, that was " black as the tents of Kedar." Just as I 
was in the act of touching the trigger, my game disappeared 
behind the weeds. 

The weeds in a moment shook nearer by, and out ran two 
young bears, not more than ten feet from me, both of 
which went up a hackberry tree, near at hand. Resting 
among thelimbs, they turned their anxious eyes on me, that 
made them look as wild as monkeys in Central America. 
The old bear was gone, and very deliberately I tied my 
horse, and with a smile on my face, with none but the bears 
and the God of the universe in hearing of me, said, " Well, 
I am good for you certain." My gun was soon to my face 
again. But just as I was placing my finger on the trigger 
the second time, the case of David Crockett flashed into 
my mind, and his unfortunate condition, when he shot the 
cub and the old bear came upon him, with his gun empty. 
With this distinguished bear-hunter I had gone in the bear- 
chase in Tennessee. Well for me it was that I thought of 
my ifriend David just at this moment ; for I had no knife 



TWO ordeals: one spiritual^, and one carnal. 275 

nor dogs to help me out of a similar difficulty. The mind, 
swifter than electricity, called up, in connection with 
Crockett, the case of David the King of Israel, who when 
a lad slew a lion and a bear ; but as I did not feel willing 
without a weapon, except the empty gun, to take a bear by 
the beard, I lowered the gun, and unsprung the triggers. 

Just as I lowered my gun a snarl, a growl, some kind of 
a noise that is a nondescript to this day, fell upon my ears, 
only a little distance off. The old bear, without doubt, was 
after me. The weeds cracked and shook, and soon she 
stood on her hind feet, and, in an angrjr, threatening atti- 
tude, walked erect towards me, turning first one side and 
then the other. Her hair was all turned the wrong way and 
her ears laid back, presenting a frightful appearance. 

Life was now pending in the coming contest. Either Z. 
N. Morrell or that bear had to die, and my only chance was 
to make a good shoot. To be torn in pieces by a wild beast 
was a fearful thing ; and I shrank with terror at the 
thought. The bear was not more than forty feet from me 
and steadily but slowly advancing. The days of flint and 
steel locks had passed, and remembering that my caps were 
too small and sometimes failed to fire, I kept my eye on the 
bear, and let my hammer down firmly on the cap, pressing it 
well upon the tube. By this time I had what old Texans 
called " the buck ague." 

My nerves were now all unstrung, and for my life I could 
not hold my gun steady, as I pointed it towards the bear. I 
remembered on the spot that I had faced the cannon at Hon- 
du and been in danger before, but I never felt as I did 
when facing that bear. I gripped the gun ; but the tighter 
I gripped the worse I trembled. The bear was now less 



276 FLOWERS AND FBVITS. 

than twenty feet of me, walking on its hind legs straight 
to me. 

By waving the gun up and down I finally succeeded in 
getting the range of the body, and not until the animal was 
within less than ten feet of me did I succeed in getting a 
steady aim that rendered it safe to shoot. The bear was in 
the very act of springing on me when the gun fired. At 
the crack of my rifle the bear, which had received a shot 
near the heart, ran away, and my trembling ceased, know- 
ing from the manner in which she ran ofl" that the shot was 
fatal. 

I reloaded as quick as possible, and, standing on the same 
spot, shot twice more and brought down the two cubs. 
The gun was reloaded, and as I started in search of the old 
bear, which I w^as confident lay dead among the weeds, a 
third cub ran up a tree near by, and when my gun fired 
again it shared the same fate as the rest. The old one was 
found dead within less than one hundred yards. After 
gathering the cubs in a pile I sat down to rest from the 
intense excitement. No battle that ever I witnessed made 
me tremble as I did on this occasion. In the midst of great 
emergencies the best policy sometimes requires that we 
" make haste slowly." Deep impressions were made upon 
my mind by this incident, that have been of service to me 
since. 

My labors in the fall of 1847 were very arduous. Two 
long trips were made : one to attend the session of Union 
Association in the city of Houston ; another to Lavacca 
County, to aid in the organization of the Colorado Associa- 
tion. My health was rapidly failing, and my resignation as 
missionary of the Southern Board was tendered, to take 
efiect on the first of January, 1848. 



CHAPTEE XXIV. 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 1848. 



(^^M¥HE events recorded in 1848 show that progress was 
/i I I written upon the banner the Baptists carried in 
^^^s^ those days. Far up the Trinity and Brazos Rivers, 
in the direction of the Indian country, they pressed their way, 
and God smiled upon their work. Elder N. T. Byars, as 
true and as laborious a pioneer preacher as ever wielded 
the Jerusalem blade, vigorously prosecuted his work along 
the western banks of the Trinity, as far as he could find a 
family to listen to the story of the cross. East of the 
Trinity and above the territory occupied by the Soda Lake 
Association, Elders Pickett, Briscoe, Piland and others 
were busily at work, laying the foundations of the Red 
River Baptist Association. As the number of associations 
was rapidly multiplying, and as the Baptists of Texas saw 
the clearest indications that " the Captain of their salva- 
tion " and their glorified Leader intended that they should 
occupy the vast field and combat error and sin at the very 
outposts of civilization, north and west, they were now 
busily engaged in the centre of their operations laying the 
foundation of the Baptist State Convention. 

On Friday before the third Sunday in July, 1848, messen- 
gers from six churches — Leona, Society Hill, Springfield, 
Union Hill, Corsicana and Providence — met in convention 
with, the Providence church, Navarro County, to consider 

277 



278 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

the propriety of organizing a new association. The only 
ministers present who took part in the deliberations were 
Elders N. T. Byars and Z. N. Morrell. Elder Henry 
Hurley, an anti-missionary, whom I had known in Tennessee, 
was present and preached, but took no part in the organi- 
zation. 

The Providence church with which we met, as has already 
been recorded, was organized by the writer, in 1846, with 
fourteen members. 

Elder Z. N. Morrell, after a sermon, was called to the 
chair, and Alexander Patrick was requested to act as 
secretary. The little body, representing only six churches, 
with a membership of about forty Baptists, meant work, in 
the heart of a vast and destitute field. 

On Saturday evening, at four o'clock, the committee ap- 
pointed the previous day reported Articles of Faith and a 
Constitution, both of which were adopted. The first 
article in the constitution declared that " This Association 
shall be known by the name of Trinity Piver Baptist Asso- 
ciation." The association was immediately organized by 
electing the same moderator and secretary that acted for 
the convention, with the addition of Elder N. T. Byars as 
corresponding secretary, and brother C. B. Eoberts treas- 
urer. 

The following note appears at the close of the minutes of 
the first session : " The reasons we assign for organizing 
so small a body are as follows : — The boundary from 
north to south is one hundred and fifty miles, and some of 
these churches could not be represented in the old associa- 
tion (Union) in consequence of the distance.; and, more- 
over, there are four churches still north that have not as 
yet united. It is hoped that this .will attract the attention 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS, 279 

of our brethren in the ministry, and that they will visit this 
region of country." 

No discordant note was sounded in this organization, and 
no dissatisfaction with previous organizations caused the 
formation of this body. Peace and activity marked the 
first session, and gave a new impetus to the cause in that 
territory. 

The third session was held with the church at Union Hill, 
in Dallas County. The churches at this meeting, in 1850, 
numbered ten, with a membership of one hundred and 
seventy-two. The territory now reached from Bell to 
Dallas County. Elder A. Ledbetter was chosen moderator. 
He served as moderator of this body for three successi\'e 
sessions, and during these same years served as missionary 
of the Baptist State Convention. 

Elder Ledbetter moved from Tennessee to Texas in 1848, 
and settled in Dallas County. Although a man of limited 
education, he possessed many of the elements of usefulness, 
yet lacked that stability of character and stern integrity 
so essential for a preacher. While he occupied the chair 
as moderator of the association no special indications were 
given of unsoundness in the faith of the gospel. In the 
spring of 1854, at Springfield, in my presence, and in 
presence of the members of the Mission Board, he preached 
a sermon strongly tinctured with apostasy. Fearing I 
might be mistaken,! made no charges against him, nor did 
the brethren with me. Soon after this, in the presence of 
brother ' B3^ars, he advocated the doctrine in a sermon, 
boldly. Of this I was immediately informed by letter. 

At the seventh session, in 1854, held with the church at 
Centreville, at which time Elder Ledbetter was under ap- 
pointment to preach the missionary sermon on Sunday, I 



280 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

determined, after consultation with other brethren, to make 
an issue. Accordingly on Saturday morning I sought an 
interview with him, in company with Elders Gr. W. Baines, 
J. W. D. Creath, and four other preachers. In the presence 
of seven ministers the accusation was brought, on the 
ground of heresy. He hesitated for a moment, but finally 
admitted that he believed the doctrine of apostasy, and that 
he had always believed it, and farther indicated a desire to 
debate the question in presence of the association. 

Had he embraced the doctrine at a recent date, there 
might have been grounds for leniency and charity ; but 
when he announced his position as a believer in apostasy 
even when he joined the association, after having given con- 
sent to the article on that subject for several years, one of 
the members of this self-appointed committee charged him 
openly with hypocrisy and lying. Elders Baines and Creath 
each gave him the benefit of some plain Baptist talk, and 
his right to preach the missionary sermon on the following 
day was challenged. 

The same evening he publicly withdrew from the associa- 
tion, and, after the body adjourned, left for his home, sowing 
the seeds of discord as he went. 

We had previously been troubled with Elder C. C. Owens, 
who claimed to be a Baptist, and yet divided a church, lead- 
ing a part off into Campbellism. There was another 
preacher travelling among us by the name of Stroud, bear- 
ing credentials as a Baptist preacher, and teaching the doc- 
trine of Universalism. A third, by the name of Jeffreys, 
an impostor, had thrown us into some confusion. These all 
had been dealt with promptly. When Elder Ledbetter 
appeared as the fourth case, rapidly succeeding the others, 
no wonder that some of us, possessed of a nervous temper- 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 281 

amentj should grow a little impatient and make a vigorous 
prosecution. 

Among the old-time Baptists, with whom I labored much 
in my enYly ministiy, and who preached so strongl}^ the doc- 
trine of salvation b}^ grace, a man who intimated that 
works had anj^thing to do with salvation was called " liuse}^- 
woolsey." This expression was applied in view of the 
fact that the priests, in ancient times, were not allowed to 
wear garments part of wool and part of linen. Thej^ were 
required to be either all wool or all linen. 

Men who would sacrifice principle for the sake of popular- 
ity were sometimes called "tin-headed." As tin is a very 
soft metal, susceptible of being easily dented without break- 
ing the surface, so a preacher, whose head was soft enough 
to be marked by the hammer of popularity, soon had this 
appellation tacked on to his name. 

In the history of several of our Texas Baptist associa- 
tions, while we have been held in check for a time by the 
honest, hard-headed, "iron-jacket" and anti-mission frater- 
nity, we have been wonderfully cursed with these "linsey- 
woolsey, tin-headed" Baptists, who, in the language of* 
Paul, have been " those who seemed to be somewhat, — what- 
soever they were it maketh no matter." Elder Ledbetter's 
was the last case of heresy that gave us trouble in the 
Trinity River Association. 

At the third session, Elder H. P. Mays made his first 
appearance among the Baptists in a general meeting. Here 
was one of the brightest stars that ever shone in the Bap- 
tist galaxy in Texas. The star remained onl}^ a little while, 
but was bright while it lasted. 

Elder Mays was, by bkth and education, a Kentuckian. 
He came to Texas in December, 1849, and settled at Corsi- 



282 FLOWERS AXD FRUITS. 

cana. He died December 4, 1851. In 1850 and 1851 his 
name appears among the list of ministers present at the 
association. 

I first met him at Springfield, the year after his arrival, 
and was at once deeply impressed with his manner of ad- 
dress and great personal piety. He was truly an educated, 
Christian gentleman. In person, he was tall and command- 
ing. He was sound in doctrine. The social element entered 
largely into his composition. While deeply earnest in his 
work as a preacher, his chief excellence consisted in his 
ability to lead the minds of his audience, melted into tender- 
ness, right up to the cross of Christ. His short, earnest 
life of two years in Texas left a deep impression upon the 
community, the church, and association of which he was a 
member. 

The minutes of the seventh session show that there were 
twentj^-six churches, with a membership of five hundred and 
fifty-seven. At the eighth session, held with Little River 
church, in 1855, the first meeting after the diflSculty with 
Ledbetter, thirteen newl^^-organized churches sent in peti- 
tionary letters and were received into the body. This was 
in a large measure due to the labors of Elder John Clabaugh, 
who was appointed by the Baptist State Convention as finan- 
cial agent. Turning aside from this work, he penetrated the 
destitute corners of McLennan and the adjoining counties, 
and, instead of collecting money to send other missionaries, 
he preached, baptized the people, and organized them into 
churches himself. Some complaint was made against him 
for leaving the special work assigned him, but when the 
result of the mission was reported, all agreed that he had 
done his duty. In 1855, God wrought wonders in this terri- 
tory. Elders Eaves, Mason, and McLain were all active in 



TTFO ASSOCIATIOXS. 283 

sowing the seeds of truth, and theii' Trork was wonderfully 
blessed. 

The thirteen churches received that year had a member- 
ship of two hundred and seTeuty-seTen. At the organiza- 
tion, in 1848, our whole strength was fortj' ; but now, in 
1855, we received an added strength, at one meeting, of 
about seven times oni* number at first. 

The name of Elder S. G-. O'Brien appears at this time 
among the active workers of the body. But few drones 
were in our hive in those days, in the bounds of the old 
Trinity Eiver Association. Ours were worker-bees. God 
have mercy upon a laz}^, stupid Baptist, especially if found 
in the ministry. He may be fit for something, but I can't 
tell for what. 

Elder O'Brien came to Texas in 1852, and took position 
in Baj^lor University as Professor of Mathematics. In the 
fall of 1853, I received information that he was willing to 
resign his position in the school, where he received a salary 
of twelve hundred dollars, and accept a position as mission- 
ary Or pastor, if one half this amount could be secured for 
him. I had never seen him ; but this made a deep impres- 
sion upon my mind, as we were gi-eath' in need of ministers 
among our feeble churches, and I wrote to him and urged 
him to visit us. He came, and, in the spring of 1854, set- 
tled at "Waco, and for six 3-ears servedthat church in connec- 
tion with others in the surrounding countiy. 

The TTaco church was organized by Elder N. T. Byars, 
on the thirty-flrst day of May, 1851, with four members. 
Elder Byars served as pastor till the arrival of Elder 
O'Brien, at which time the church numbered nineteen 
members. Under his ministry this chui'ch steadily in- 



284 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

creased in number and efficiency. In 1860 it numbered 
one hundred and forty-four. 

Progress was written upon the banner he carried, and, 
being full of the mission spirit, his influence added much to 
the missionary operations of Trinity River Association. 
He was a man of education, and believed, as a Christian, 
that it was our duty to train the mind for effective service 
in the Lord's vineyard. He was the first president of the 
Trinit}^ River High School, located at Waco in 1856, — 
now known as Waco University, — and may justly, ac- 
cording to my judgment, be regarded the leading spirit 
among its founders. 

He subsequently served as pastor at Huntsville, filled for 
a time the presidency of Bosqueville Academy, and in 
September, 1867, in his forty-seventh year, while serving the 
churches at Port Sullivan, Cameron and Little River, died. 

His appearance, in public or private circles, commanded 
respect. Something over medium height, he weighed 
about one hundred and eighty pounds. His manners were 
simple, natural, and earnest. He possessed a free, open 
countenance, and was so perfectly conscious of his own 
honesty of purpose that he did not suspect others. If this 
be a fault, he was guilty. Let anybody who ever blamed 
him for it remember that the purity of the man's own 
motives was at the bottom of it. 

He had a clear head, and was as ^ound in the faith as any 
preacher who has ever opposed the systems of error propa- 
gated in Texas. He was a student, and a man of God, and 
in the pulpit made no failures. 

At the eighth session, a resolution, declaring that it was 
the sense of the body to organize two high schools, one for 
males and the other for females, was adopted. In 1856, 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 285 

the association located the Trinity River Associational 
Baptist High Male School at Waco, and the Female 
High School at Hillsborough. Concerning the school 
at Hillsborough I cannot write, as there are no statistics 
before me. Nor am I able to state definitely some of the 
changes that have taken place in the school at Waco. 

Elder Rufus C. Burleson succeeded Elder O'Brien in the 
presidency at Waco in 1861, carrying with him an able 
corps of teachers. The school has subsequently been known 
as Waco University, and has attained a degree of pros- 
perity second to no institution of learning in the State. In 
the heart of a rich country, and in the midst of an intelligent 
and enterprising community, and with such leaders as 
Elders R. C. and R. B. Burleson, nothing short of success 
could have been expected. 

At this institution, under the charge of President Burleson 
for the past ten years, a large number of students, of both 
sexes, have received tuition. Much has been done and 
much is still being done for the education of the rising 
ministrj^ of Texas. 

The Trinity River Association has done much for the 
cause of missions, and a large number of churches owe 
their origin, under God, to the labors of her missionaries. 

The same meeting that laid the foundation of the school 
at Waco appointed a committee to collect funds for the 
support of her superannuated ministers. This committee- 
continued its operations, whenever cases came up requir- 
ing assistance, and in process of time gave much relief. 

The little band organized in July, 1848, with two min- 
isters, six churches, and forty Baptists, passed at its first 
meeting the following resolution : " That this association 
set apart Friday before the third Lord's day in May, as a 



286 FLOWERS AXD FRVITS. 

day of fasting and prayer to Almighty God. that he would 
grant a gi'eater eflusion of the Holy Spirit to the little 
churches composing this body, and that he would more 
abundantly bless the few laborers we have among us ; and 
that he would send forth more laborers into this part of his 
moral vineyard." 

In answer to prayer, after much earnest labor in the 
cause of Christ, the minutes of the tenth session, in 1857, 
show that there were, in this body, twenty ordained and 
eight licentiate ministers, and thiity-four churches, with a 
membership of about twelve hundi*ed. A large number of 
churches have gone from this body, at different times, to aid 
in the formation of other associations, but still a large and 
rapidly increasing body lives, bearing the old name, and 
prosecuting its mission work. About four hundred bap- 
tisms, performed by the hands of her ministers, were 
reported at her last session in 1871. 

Elders W. H. Pai-ks, G. W. Green, and T. S. Allen were 
active and laborious preachers in the midst of these revival 
influences. 

Elder Parks was educated at Baylor University. His 
field of labor was for some time in Northern Texas. He 
subsequently moved to Freestone County, and under his 
ministry the chm'ch at Fairfield and others in the vicinity 
have been greatly sti-engthened. He is full of zeal in the 
cause of his Master, and, being in possession of an active 
mind, promises extensive usefulness. 

"With Elder Green I have been intimately associated 
much of the time since he entered the ministry. He was 
ordained in 1863, and was for some years a missionary in 
the Trinity River Association. He has since served as 
pastor at Bedais, Oakland, and other points in Grimes, Leon 



TJVO ASSOCIATIONS. 287 

and Brazos Counties. Whether as missionary or pastor, his 
ministry has alwaj^s been of that effective character that 
rouses the people to action touching the great question of 
personal salvation. But few men, in so short a time, have 
baptized so many people in Texas as Elder Green. He 
leans upon the arm of God in earnest faith, and the Spirit 
of God applies the truths he utters. 

Elder T. S. Allen, the old soldier who fought on so "many 
hard-contested spiritual battle-fields in Missouri, was of 
that class of Missouri preachers who, during the late war, 
found it necessary to seek another clime. With his loins 
girded and staff in hand, he journe3^ed to Texas, and on 
the territory of the Trinity River Association displayed 
his colors " as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." 

I met him soon after his exile, while his family was yet 
behind, and he was in the deepest trouble. He was not for- 
saken b}'' the Master whom he served, and the loved ones 
soon joined him on his new field. With a vigorous consti- 
tution, and a soul deeply stirred for the salvation of sinners, 
his motto, Sunday, Monday, every day, is, " Work, work for 
Christ." Some preachers, like many Christians, work at 
times as though they expected the return of the Master 
to-morrow, and then again as though they thought it doubt- 
ful whether or not he ever would come. Not so with Elder 
Allen. As in Missouri so in Texas he goes along the creeks, 
into the lanes and by-ways and hedges, and, as missionary 
and colporteur, preaches to many or few, as he can gather 
them together, leaving b}^ the way a Bible, a religious book, 
or a tract, always confident that " labor is not in vain in the 
Lord." By him large numbers have been baptized. Oh 
that the Lord would send more such workers to Texas ! 

Three months after the organization of the Trinity River, 



288 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

a number of ministers and brethren met at Hone^^ Grove, 
in Fannin County, in the extreme north-eastern part of the 
State, and near Red River, for the purpose of forming 
an association. Eight churches — Clarksville, Shiloh, 
Salem, South Sulphur, Liberty, Bethel, New Salem, and 
Honey Grove — were represented by their messengers in this 
convention. These churches were located in the counties 
of Bowie, Red River, Lamar, Titus, Fannin and Hopkins. 
Elder Benjamin Clark was the first moderator. 

This venerable brother came to Texas only a short time 
before. He was the first missionary sent to Missouri by 
the Board of American Baptist Missions. On that field he 
baptized a large number of people and organized many 
churches. He brought with him to Texas the minutes of 
eighteen sessions of a Missouri Baptist Association, which 
I was permitted to examine, and which exhibited a vast 
amount of labor performed by this venerable missionary. 
He spent several years in Arkansas, and arriving in Texas 
spent some time among the churches and brethren that 
formed the Red River Association. 

Elder Clark came into the bounds of the Trinity River 
Association about 1852, and there, while the sun of life was 
passing behind the western hills, he reflected back much of 
the light he had borrowed from Christ. He was about sev- 
enty years of age when he came among us, but, being pro- 
vided by the brethren with a home, he did much active 
service as a missionary previous to his death. The infir- 
mities and necessities of this good man caused the formation 
of the executive committee alluded to before, whose duty it 
was to provide for the maintenance of superannuated 
ministers. He remained on this field several years, and 
passed to his reward above. 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 289 

The second session of the Red River Association met at 
Clarksville, Red River County, on the twelfth of October, 
1849. A petitionary letter was received from the Liberty 
church, Titus County, and the statistics show that the total 
membership of the churches was one hundred and seventy- 
five, leaving out the membership of the South Sulphur 
church, Hopkins County, which was not represented. Elder 
M. Piland was moderator. Of this brother and his work I 
cannot write definitely, except that his name appears for 
some time as pastor of Shiloh church, Lamar County, and 
as moderator of the association at its second and third ses- 
sions. The association devoted itself energetically to the 
mission work, and in connection with missionary operations 
the name of Elder W. M. Pickett is pre-eminent. 

Elder Pickett came to Texas in 1844, and was a leading 
spirit among those who labored in the work of organization 
along the banks of Red River. He was present at the for- 
mation of the association, and appears on the record of 1849 
as pastor of five of the churches when there were only eight 
churches represented. He devoted all the time he could 
spare from the churches to destitute fields, and in 1853 was 
appointed missionary for his whole time, to visit destitute 
regions, organize churches, and to do all he could in " pro- 
curing pastors for destitute churches." His salary was fixed 
at four hundred dollars. Long and faithfully did he serve 
in this capacit}^, as is seen from his reports, and his work 
was greatly blessed. . 

The name of Elder John Briscoe appears among the 
Baptist workers in north-eastern Texas, and continues to 
shine as a bright star in the history of that people. He 
was by birth a Tennesseean ; moved to Texas in 1846, and 
settled in Hunt County. He was at this time a licensed 



290 ■ FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

preacher and giving signs of great usefulness. The Liberty 
church, Fannin County, called him to ordination. The 
presbytery was composed of Elders Pickett, Watson, Smith, 
and Piland. He took an active part in the organization of 
the Red River Association, and in 1850 appears as pastor 
of Liberty church, Fannin County, and also of the Salem 
church, Lamar County. His soul was deeply moved when- 
ever the cause of missions demanded his attention, and, 
being a man of strong mind and much decision, he was 
ordained of God to be a leader among the scattered Baptists 
in that territory. 

Li 1852 he was moderator of the body, and the same year 
employed to ride as missionary one half his time. After 
the formation of the Sister Grove Association he served as 
pastor and missionary among the churches of that body. 
His report to the body, in 1854, shows that he had wit- 
nessed the conversion of one hundred and twenty persons, 
and that he had baptized eighty-five, within the space of 
three months and ten days. During this time he travelled 
six hundred and thirty miles and delivered eighty sermons 
and exhortations. The date of his death I cannot giA^e ; 
but while he rests from his labors, his works follow him. 

Under the labors of these earnest men the sixth annual 
session of the bod}^, held with the Concord church. Red 
River County, in 1854, was composed of messengers from 
twenty-eight churches, extending over a territory of seven 
counties. After this a large number of the churches went 
off to form other associations, and in 1858 only eleven 
churches were represented, with Elder D. B. Morrill as mod- 
erator. The territory was at that time limited to three coun- 
ties : Lamar, Red River, and Bowie. Later than this I can 
give no statements, for want of facts and dates. 



CHAPTEE XXV 



STATE CONVENTION. 1848. 



JN all the great enterprises of life, whether civil 
or religious, a necessity is felt, when there are 
small organizations in a territory, for a general 
organization to harmonize and concentrate the 
efforts of the whole body. When the noise of war is 
heard in the land, companies at once are banded together 
for the public defence. After this, battalions, regiments, 
brigades and divisions spring into existence. All these 
under the same laws, and under the same great leader, 
present a strong, united front to the common enemy. 

Ten years previous to the organization of the Baptist 
State Convention of Texas, churches had been formed. 
Eight years previous to the formation of this grand body, 
an association of churches was formed ; and now that a 
vast field had been traversed by missionaries, a great many 
churches organized, and several associations, a general 
organization was called for, in which messengers from 
churches and associations might meet every j^ear, and by 
conference and co-operation sweep over the whole State, 
and following close upon the heels of the Indian and 
buffalo, plant the standard of the cross- wherever the 
smoke of the white man's cabin rose toward the heavens. 
Many a warm and generous Baptist heart beat true to this 
sentiment in the territory of Texas, in 1848. The few 

291 



292 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

scattered preachers, sustained in their efforts by a faithful 
brotherhood in the churches, said, " We will attempt great 
things and expect great things for God." Truly God had 
done great things for us, and we were glad. Far more had 
been accomplished than I, and the little bands that met me 
in 1836, anticipated could have been done in the space of 
time. 

An incident' in the life of Elder Jesse Mercer, of 
Georgia, throws some light upon the origin and progress 
of Texas missions. Some time previous to 1840, the date 
not known, this great and good man deposited twenty-five 
hundred dollars with the Home Mission Societ}^, New 
York, to be used for the support of missionaries in Texas. 
Some of his friends protested against the expenditure of 
money on such a field. He was informed that Texas was 
at that time infested with thieves, murderers, and scoun- 
drels, who were refugees from justice. Elder Mercer was 
a man who thought and acted for himself, in view of his 
personal accountability to God, and replied, " You had 
better not tell me any more about such characters in 
Texas, or I'll be compelled to double the amount, and set 
apart five thousand dollars." He stated his conviction, 
that, as Texas had a fertile soil and a genial clime, 
it would attract the attention of a large number of good 
people. Christ had saved a thief on the cross, and if some 
of those in Texas were great sinners, Christ was a great 
Saviour, and they needed the gospel. 

With that money donated by Elder Mercer, Elders 
Tryon, Huckins and Taliaferro were sent and supported 
in Texas. The first person baptized by brother Huckins, 
on his arrival in Galveston, was a relative of Jesse Mer- 
cer. I allude to sister Borden. Old brother Eli Mercer, 



STATE CONVENTION. 293 

another near relative, and the father of sister Borden, came 
fifty miles from his residence in Egypt, on the Colorado, 
to Mount Gilead church, in Washington County, to be 
baptized by- brother Tryon. He continued his member- 
ship with that church for some time, and regularly rode 
the fifty miles, and filled his place in the monthly con- 
ference meetings. 

The praj'Crs and alms of Jesse Mercer went up as a 
memorial before God, as in the case of Cornelius, and God 
bestowed salvation in Texas upon some of the members of 
his own house. Some of the results that followed the 
labors of Tryon, Huckins and Taliaferro have already 
been recorded. 

At the eighth annual session of the Union Association, 
held with the Baptist church in Houston, in October, 1847, 
the following resolution was passed : " Resolved^ That 
this association appoint a Central Committee of Corre- 
spondence, composed of Elders Graves, Garrett, Ellis, 
Chandler, Tryon, Creath, and brethren Haynes and J. G. 
Thomas, whose duty it shall be to receive from the cor- 
responding secretary the information that he may obtain, 
and in the event that a majority of the churches so cor- 
responded with shall be in favor of a convention, then it 
shall be the duty of the central committee to appoint a 
time and place of meeting." 

The churches responded in favor of the proposed con- 
vention, and on the eighth day of September, 1848, 
messengers assembled with the church at Anderson, in 
Grimes County. As is customary at the meeting of all 
such bodies, an introductory sermon was expected. In 
view of this fact, the committee that called the meeting 
appointed Elder Henry L. Graves, one of their number, 



294 FLOWERS AND FliUITS. 

to preach the sermon, and Elder Noah Hill, in case of- 
failure. These brethren were duly notified of the appoint- 
ment, and were both on the ground in good health, and as 
I thought certainly without excuse. 

Elder Graves was at that time president of Baylor Uni- 
versity, and we all thought the appointment a judicious one, 
and were anxious to hear him preach the opening sermon. 
To our great astonishment he declined to do it, without any 
plausible excuse. This was evidently, to take it as a whole, 
the most learned body of men that had ever been assembled 
in Texas up to that time, and the impression of course fixed 
itself upon our minds that president Graves was afraid he 
might make a failure and thus sacrifice some of his reputa- 
tion. Elder Hill refused to preach as alternate, and, under 
the circumstances, we could not blame him. A number of 
the talented brethren were urged to preach, and my convic- 
tion was that they were the most tender-footed set of Bap- 
tist preachers that ever I had seen assembled. 

My mortification was intense, as the large audience waited 
for over half an hour' for the services to commence. 

I had been used on other occasions, as the reader will 
remember, as an iron wedge, and sometimes driven into 
very unenviable situations. Although a little sore at the 
remembrance of it, when the committee approached me I 
consented, for the sake of our cause, to preach. Once at 
least in life my position was easier than that of my breth- 
ren who were my intellectual superiors, — Z. N. Morrell had 
no reputation to lose. 

The text used was from Isaiah ix. 7 : "Of the increase 
of his government and peace there shall be no end." After 
the sermon, the meeting was called to order by Elder R. E. 
B. Baylor. After the usual preliminaries, notwithstanding 



STATE CONVENTION. 295 

'the failure to preach the sermon, Elder Henry L. Graves 
was chosen as the first president of the Baptist State Con- 
vention of Texas. 

Elder Graves was a part of that valuable cargo of preach- 
ers landed at Galveston in the fall of 1846. He enjoyed 
the benefits of both literary and theological training, and 
graduated in both departments. As Baylor Universit}^, 
over which he presided as its first president, was founded 
with the view of disseminating knowledge among the masses, 
but especially for the education of the rising ministry, he 
possessed those qualifications and advantages that fitted 
him well for the position he assumed. After filling that 
station for several years, he took charge of the college at 
Fairfield, and for a number of years labored successfully in 
the education of 3'oung ladies. He now fills the presidency 
of Baylor Female College. His scholarship, so far as I 
know, remains unquestioned during all these j^ears of 
patient toil as an educator in Texas. His qualifications 
entitle him to the position, in the estimation of his brethren, 
of a refined and educated Christian gentleman. 

As a presiding officer he excels. Calm, dignified and 
courteous, he commands the confidence and respect of the 
body, and makes perhaps as few mistakes in his rulings as 
any man who has ever presided, in Texas, over deliberative 
bodies. In the midst of the most animated discussions he 
never loses sight of the question, and shows himself master 
of the situation by maintaining perfect self-possession. He 
has acted as president of the convention at most of its 
sessions since. 

An incident occurred during his early pastorate at Inde- 
pendence, clearly illustrating the deliberation and decision 
of his character. In the midst of the first great revival 



296 FLO WEES AND FRUITS. 

among that people he conducted a lady into the beautiful- 
stream, and, after administering the ordinance of baptism in 
the most graceful and imposing manner, observed a very 
poisonous snake lying upon the lady's robe. I was stand- 
ing near by, and was just in the act of speaking to him, when 
he suddenly seized the snake in his hand and threw it to 
the opposite bank. Elder R. E. B. Baylor, standing at my 
side, spoke with animation and emphasis, " Why, sir, the 
apostle Paul could have done no more ! " The lady knew 
nothing of the danger till informed of it afterwards. 

The second article of the constitution' adopted by the 
convention was as follows: "The objects of the conven- 
tion shall be missionary and educational, the promotion of 
harmony of feeling and concert of action in our denomina- 
tion, and the organization of a system of operative meas- 
ures to promote the interest generally of the Redeemer's 
kingdom within the State." 

"An old landmark" among Baptists in all ages, touch- 
ing the sovereignty and independence of the churches, was 
asserted in the twelfth article. Churches create associa- 
tions and conventions, and, as the creator has the right to 
control the creature, in keeping with this fundamental idea, 
the convention disclaims any and all right to dictate to the 
churches. 

The article reads as follows: "The convention shall 
never possess a single attribute of power or authority over 
any church or association. It absolutely and forever dis- 
claims any right of this kind, hereby avowing that cardinal 
principle that every church is sovereign and independent." 
They who recognize the authority of popes, bishops, 
synods and conferences, will doubtless inquire, after 
reading this article, the necessity for this organization 



STATE COWVEXTWy. '2 J i 

upon such principles. We reply, that while every church 
recognizes and should recognize " Jesus only " as its 
perfect lawgiver and chief shepherd, a general organiza- 
tion was necessary to secure harmonious and effective 
action upon the part of individuals and churches. Here 
was a body of influential, earnest men organized, upon 
scriptural principles, to promote the common causes of 
education and missions, and their individual and com- 
bined influence has been telling upon the destinies of this 
great empire State during the twenty-three years that 
have passed. 

This was the first general meeting in which Elder Rufus 
C. Burleson made his appearance. When the tall, slen- 
der form stood on the floor of the convention for the first 
time, seeing everybody in sight at one glance with those 
black, piercing eyes, that rest beneath a manly brow, and, 
pointing with his long, bony fingers in the direction he 
wished the thought to travel, parted the lips of an 
orator, and spoke sweetly and tenderly the name of Jesus, 
the stranger involuntarily asked his neighbor, " Who is 
that?" 

He came to Texas in the month of February, 1848, 
under appointment of the Mission Board of the Southern 
Baptist Convention, and settled as pastor of the church in 
Houston. As the successor of the beloved Tryon, God 
blessed his work with much success for over three years in 
the city of Houston. In 1847, at the time brother Tr3^on 
died, the church, according to the minutes of Union 
Association, numbered sixty-nine; and in 1851, under his 
ministry, it had increased to one hundred and forty. 

As a pastor, he was among the first, and was largely 



298 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

endowed with the elements of enlarged success in "this 
department of Christian labor. 

Fired with a growing desire to have the coming 
preachers in Texas thoroughly educated, at the call of the 
Board of Trustees of Baylor University he resigned his 
pastorate in Houston, and took the position at the head 
of the institution as an educator. ^i-Ie remained as presi- 
dent of Baylor for ten years, commencing his duties there 
in 1851. The same qualities that made him successful as 
a pastor gathered about him the afiections of the youth 
of the country, and inspired their parents with confidence 
in his ability as a teacher. Eesigning his position at 
Baylor in 1861, he was immediately elected to the presi- 
dency of Waco University, which position he now occupies, 
and has, without interruption, for ten years. His ability 
to build up is known as far as the man is known. His 
brother. Elder R. B. Burleson, has had much to do with 
the success that has crowned his labors in the cause of 
education. The combined influence of these brothers has 
fired many a youthful mind to toil in search of knowl- 
edge, and impressed many a heart with the importance of 
seeking Jesus. 

They have educated, either in whole or in part, about 
fifteen hundred young men, and over four hundred young 
ladies ; and the struggle of the past twenty y&ars in this 
work has in no wise abated then' energy. 

As a preacher. Elder R. C. Burleson has wielded an 
influence over the masses in Texas second to no man who 
has occupied the pulpit among us. Toward the close of 
his collegiate course, whilst his associates in the theologi- 
cal department were consecrating their lives to various 
fields, some of them to foreign countries, R. C. Burleson 



STATE CONVENTION. 299 

wrote, " This daj^ I consecrate my life to Texas.'* Tliis 
was a noble purpose and a high resolve, and during these 
twentj^-lhree years that I have known him in Texas no 
disposition to falter has ever been manifested. 

At the second session of the body, in 1849, held with the 
church at Houston, Elder J. W. D. Creath president, the 
question of missions was considered with much interest. 
The Board of Directors was instructed to employ, as soon 
as practicable, two missionaries, one in the eastern and 
the other in the western congressional district, with 
instructions to organize the scattered Baptists, and collect 
money for mission purposes. Of course, at that time, a 
vast destitution was before us, and right earnestl}- did the 
brethren address themselves to the work of supplj'ing it. 
But little being accomplished previous to the third session, 
in 1850, a report strongly recommending a general agency 
was adopted, and soon the name of Elder J. W. D. Creath 
appeared as financial agent of the convention. East, 
west, north and south, over the vast territor}^ this inde- 
fatigable worker travelled, and greatly stirred up the 
mission-loving Baptists throughout the State. Every 
subsequent session of the body showed large sums of 
mone}" collected and expended on this mission work. The 
naihes of missionaries engaged under the patronage of the 
Board, and- the work they have done, would require a 
volume of itself. Perhaps no agency has accomplished so 
much in developing the Baptist cause in Texas as the 
mission enterprise of the Baptist State Convention from 
its organization to the present time. 

Elder J. W. D. Creath has been the leading spirit among 
us in this great work. During most of the time since the 
adoption of the agency sj'stem he has been, and still is, 



SOO FLOWERS AND FBUITS. 

the travelling financial agent of the convention. He was 
by birth and education a Virginian. Following the example 
of his father, a Baptist preacher, he and several of his 
brothers entered the Christian ministry, and, as has already 
been noticed, he came to Texas in 1846. He first settled 
as pastor at Huntsville, and during the interval in his 
agencj^ served at Cold Springs, in Polk County, and 
vicinity. He has been eminently sound in doctrine and an 
earnest defender of the faith. Look where you may among 
the minutes of associations and general Baptist meetings 
in Texas, and the name of Elder J. W. D. Creath appears, 
pleading the mission cause. Much might be said of him 
and his work, but the utter folly of an attempt on my part 
to tell the people what they do not know concerning this 
laborious preacher is happily illustrated by the following 
incident that occurred in a neighboring village : — 

A widow lady, who kept a hotel for a number of years on 
one of our thoroughfares, was approached on several oc- 
casions by a local editor with earnest solicitations for an 
advertisement of her house. She modestly declined at 
first, but finally, weary of his importunity, informed the 
editor that her house was known farther than his paper. 
So in the case before us. Elder Creath is not only known 
farther than the writer, but has made impressions for good 
in his Master^s work in many a locality which these pages 
will never reach. 

The names of Elders Ellege, Fisher, Eaves, Thomas, 
Clabaugh, Kiefer, and many others, appear as zealous mis- 
sionaries on different fields, co-operating with the conven- 
tion and spreading the gospel among the destitute. As a 
specimen of faithful and eflfective labor I will give an ex- 
tract from the report of Elder David Fisher, read before 



STATE CONVENTION. 301 

the convention. During the year ending in November, 
1855, " he preached two hundred and forty-nine sermons, 
delivered four hundred and eighty-two exhortations, at- 
tended one hundred and one prayer meetings, baptized and 
witnessed the baptism of two hundred and seventy-six 
persons, and travelled two thousand three hundred and 
forty miles." This earnest man of God, who always 
preached in such a manner as to convince the people that 
he believed there was a hell to shun, a heaven to gain, 
and a Saviour to redeem, came to Texas in 1846, and set- 
tled as pastor in Washington County. He has spent much 
of his time as a missionar}^, and many a redeemed one will 
rise up at the last day to praise God for this instrument of 
usefulness. 

In 1857, the aggregate of missionary labor is given. We 
extract the following : "Miles travelled, 26,666 ; sermons 
preached 1,920; exhortations delivered, 1,244; baptisms 
administered and witnessed, 556." This same year Elder 
Michael Ross Came to Texas, and, upon the resignation of 
Elder Creath, was appointed financial agent. He was a 
walking encyclopsedia of scriptural knowledge. He had 
committed to memory many parts of the Bible, and was 
wonderfully gifted with ability to expound the Scriptures. 
His mission spirit knew no bounds, and as he brought the 
word of God to bear upon Christian duty in this line, large 
amounts of money flowed into the treasury of the conven- 
tion. He filled this position with much success until 1860. 
After his resignation he served as pastor in Falls County, 
and subsequently settled as pastor at Independence, where 
he died, in 1865. In his grave lies one of the strong men 
of Israel. 

At the fifth session of the convention, held at Marshall, 



302 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

in 1852, Elder H. L. Graves president, a committee of 
seven was appointed " to take into consideration the pro- 
priety of establishing, at some eligible place in Texas, a 
Baptist paper." Reports on this subject, urging the im- 
portance of a State paper, appear in every minute up to 
1855, when the " The Texas Baptist" was reported to be in 
existence, with Elder G-. W. Baines as editor. The paper 
was located at Anderson, and was published under the 
direction of the Texas Baptist Publication Society. A 
vast amount of good was accomplished by this denomina- 
tional organ, furnishing as it did a medium of communica- 
tion for the brethren and churches from the Sabine to the 
Rio Grande. ■ 

It required only a few years, however, to demonstrate the 
fact that individual enterprise, backed up by the denomina- 
tion, is far preferable in the publication of a paper to the 
plan adopted in publishing the old " Texas Baptist." It is 
true that the paper went down among the lost fortunes dur- 
ing the late war ; it is also true that financial embarrass- 
ments hung around the Publication Society from the com- 
mencement to the end. 

The paper developed a large amount of writing talent in 
Texas, and gave the editor and others an opportunity of 
discussing a great man}^ questions of vital interest pertain- 
ing to our common cause in Texas. The editor. Elder G. 
W. Baines, has rendered valuable service, not only through 
this paper, but also as pastor of several churches, and on 
many tours through the State. 

His name first appears in the minutes of 1850. He has 
served as pastor at Huntsville, Anderson, and other churches 
in Grimes and Washington Counties. Being naturally fond 
of metaphysics, he has frequently been spoken of by the 



STATE convention: 303 

brethren, after his sermons and after debates on the floor of 
the convention, as " the hair-splitter." In faithfulness he 
still labors as pastor at Salado, Bell Comity, and among the 
churches in that vicinity. 

Under the auspices of the Baptist State Convention, Bay- 
lor University and Baylor Female College have performed 
their work during the past quarter of a century. Although 
the territor}^ was too large for the agencies of one bod}^ to 
be effective in every part of the State ; although the Eastern 
Baptist Convention took charge of the territory east of 
Trinity River and subsequently merged into the General 
Association, taking charge of an additional temtory in 
northern Texas, — j&t a large field still remains for the old 
body, whose efforts have been so signally blessed in the 
past. Frequentlj^ during late years, as I meet with the old 
convention, my mind goes back to 1848, and, viewing the 
organization in connection with the results, I am made to 
exclaim from the depths of m}^ soul, " What hath God 
wrought ! " 

I will record an incident illustrating the character of a 
native Texas horse, and also some of the trials in connec- 
tion with this animal that have befallen a number of Texas 
preachers who have been compelled to rely upon this species 
of locomotion. 

While travelling still in the bounds of Trinit}^ River 
Association my horse w^as crippled, and the onl}^ chance to 
meet my appointments was to ride an untrained mustang 
horse. The animal had been ridden, but was b}^ no means 
docile. Accordingly the horse w^as roped, bridled and sad- 
dled, and, to prevent the disposition these Texas horses 
sometimes manifest, of springing as high from the ground as 
theu' strength will allow and then descending to the earth 



304 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

with the back in a bow and the head between the forelegs, 
I secured a tough dogwood forked stick, and tied the large 
end to the girth and the end of each fork to the checks of 
the bridle. This preparation made, with my usual equipage 
I mounted, and rode off to fill appointments for one hundred 
and fifty miles up the countr}'". All was well as long as the 
stick remained ; but I was exceedingly annoyed by ques- 
tions from almost every man I met. Besides, it was very 
troublesome to loose and adjust the stick every time I 
stopped at noon and night. 

Crossing Chambers' Creek, I saw that the horse was 
weary, and, supposing that its propensity to "pitch" was 
over, I untied the dogwood fork and threw it aside. As I 
approached the house of m3^ old friend Morrell, a few miles 
below Dallas, the horse, without any cause that I could dis- 
cover, commenced "pitching," or, as the old Texans some- 
times said, "laying fence-worm." Freely would I have 
given the value of the horse for that dogwood stick, well 
adjusted. Now the horse sprang, first to the right and then 
to the left, and then came to the ground, head down and 
heels up, almost in a perpendicular. This performance con- 
tinued for nearly a hundred yards. My hat flew 09*, my 
umbrella fell, my saddle-bags took wings, and I began to get 
as limber as possible and look for a good place to fall. 
Just at this juncture of affairs the horse stopped, very much 
exhausted, and I did not fall. I was so bruised and shocked 
that I was immediately thrown into a violent fever, from 
which I did not soon recover. Thus closed with me the 
mighty events of 1848. 



» 



CHAPTEE XXYI. 

TWO ASSOCIATIONS. — 1849. 

*'HE rapid development of the agricultural, educa- 
tional and religious interests of Texas, from 1845 to 
1849, was truly encouraging. The tide of immi- 
gration swept across the State, increasing greatly the 
strength of villages and settlements, and stretching far out 
upon the frontier. Bountiful crops crowned the labor of 
the husbandman, school-houses were springing up in almost 
every community, and the heralds of the cross, keeping 
pace with civilization, pushed on their work with abundant 
success. 

Six associations had been formed, and the Baptist State 
Convention. All these organizations, except one, were alive, 
and putting forth active and harmonious efforts in the cause 
of truth. There were at this time about seventy-five 
churches, and, as near as I can estimate from the minutes of 
that date, over two thousand Baptists, with rapid accessions 
to our number constantly occurring, both by baptism and 
by letter. 

The work was being vigorously prosecuted far up the 
Trinity Eiver, and in October, 1849, representatives from 
four churches met in convention with the Union church, 
Dallas County, for the purpose of forming a new associa- 
tion. The churches represented were Rowlett's Creek, 
Union, Bethel and Lonesome Dove. Four ordained and one 
20 • 305 



306 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

licentiate minister were present at the organization. Tiie 
first article in the constitution reads as follows : " This 
association shall be known by the name of the Elm Fork 
United Baptist Association.'' 

From some historical sketches of churches in the "miuutes 
of 1857, 1 will state, that the Rowlett's Creek church was 
organized by Elders David Myres and Jonathan Phillips, 
on the twelfth day of February, 1844, with seven members. 
Elder Myres vfas the first moderator of this association, and 
continued to preside over every session until his death, 
which occurred on the ninth day of March, 1853, in his fifty- 
seventh year. 

With him I had no personal acquaintance, but often had 
interesting accounts of him and his work through Elder N. 
T. Byars. He moved with his family to Texas in 1845, and 
settled in Dallas County. On the tenth day of May, 1846, 
he organized the Union church, Dallas Count}^, with five 
members. He was the first Baptist preacher in that part of 
the country. He assisted in the organization of several 
other churches, and under his pastoral care Rowlett's Creek, 
Union and Bethel churches were greatly blessed. The 
writer of his obituary, in the minutes of 1854, says, " In his 
preaching he was plain, easy to be understood, forcible in 
argument, and pointed in application. He dwelt extensively 
on the plan of redemption and the love of God." These 
certainly constitute the qualities of a good minister of Jesus 
Christ, and this the grand central theme around which the 
preacher should alwaj^s rall}^ his thoughts. The churches 
and the association deeply felt the loss when the voice of 
Elder David Myres was hushed in death. 

The names of Eli Witt, J. A. Freeman and J. Phillips 
appear at the oi^anization. Several sessions passed before 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. ' 307 

the infant churches were able to make appropriations of 
mone^' to the mission work, but a true missionar}^ spirit fired 
the hearts of these pioneer preachers, and at the sixth ses- 
sion, in 1 854 , held with the Bethel church, Elder J. M. M^a-es, 
moderator, the report of the committee on Home Missions 
shows that Elders Freeman and Myres had performed a con- 
sider able amount of missionary labor, with good success. 
At this session of the bodj- there were eleven churches, with 
four hundred and eighty-three members. The names of 
Elders Eli Witt, N. T. Byars, G. W. Butler and H. E. 
Calahan appear as active missionaries at subsequent meet- 
ings, and following the work of these and a few earnest 
pastoTS, the association, in 1861, had eighteen churches, 
with about seven hundred and fifty members. The territory 
of the Elm Fork Association, as defined in the minutes of 
1856, was " all of Dallas County north of Trinity River, 
all of Denton County east of Elm Fork, together with the 
counties of Collin and Kaufman." 

Elder J. W. M^tcs was moderator of the association in 
1854, and at several meetings afterwards. He is the son of 
the old pioneer preacher, and came to Texas the same 3^ear 
his father came. He was licensed to preach in 1849, by the 
Union church, and was ordained the same year by Elders 
J. A. Freeman, David Myres and Eli Witt. He has ren- 
dered much valuable service both as missionary and pastor 
in the bounds of this association, and still lives and labors 
in Dallas County, on the same field where his father did so 
much valuable work in organizing and building up churches, 
and from which he was called to serve^his Master in a better 
land. 

In 1853 Elder J. C. Portman came to Texas from Ken- 
tucky. He was by birth a Kentuckian, and in his native 



308 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

State performed a large amount of ministerial work, and 
with much success. He was ordained in 1832, and for 
twenty-one years preached to the people among whom he 
was born. For three or four years he served as missionary, 
and the rest of the time as an active pastor. Previous to 
his arrival in Texas he baptized about fifteen hundred per- 
sons. 

Although past the meridian of life when he came to 
Texas, he girded himself for his work, and proved to the 
people of his adopted State that he was one of the strong 
men in Israel. He served as pastor at Friendship, Collin 
County, and subsequently at Rowlett's Creek and McKin- 
ney. God greatly prospered the labor of his hands. With 
a clear head and a warm heart he fought sin and preached 
righteousness among his people, to the great comfort of 
Christians. His influence was felt in all the surrounding 
countr}^, and statistics show that many redeemed souls 
demanded baptism where he labored. lie served a number 
of years as moderator of Elm Fork Association, and was 
called from his labors to rest with Christ in 1866. From 
Kentucky and Texas many a child of God will rise, in the 
resurrection morn, to bless the day that Elder Portman 
entered the. work of the ministry of Jesus Christ. 

Elders Myres and Portman have rested from their labors, 
with many others from the bounds of the association they 
loved so much, but the Elm Fork Association still lives and 
annually rallies its forces together around the standard of 
truth, sending out its messengers during its recesses to 
declare the way of salvation. 

The churches in south-eastern Texas were in much confu- 
sion, in consequence of the anti-missionary element and 
various issues that troubled that section. Many, however, 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 309 

held the true faith and believed in active mission work, and 
in November, 1849, a convention met with the old Union 
church, near the town of Nacogdoches, and formed what 
was then known as the Eastern Texas Association of 
United Baptists. The old church that had been the rally- 
ing point for the old Sabine Association was now the cen- 
tral point for another organization, covering A'ery nearly the 
same territory. Twelve churches were represented at this 
meeting : From Smith Count}^, Ebenezer, Tyler, and Harris 
Creek ; from Cherokee County, Salem, Key's Creek, Rocky 
Springs, and Palestine ; from Shelby County, Macedonia, 
Zion, Concord, and Horeb ; and from Nacogdoches County, 
Union. Elder Robert Turner was the first moderator. 
The brethren were greatly encouraged b}^ the harmony and 
success of the new organization, and, at the second session 
held with Salem church, Cherokee County, there were six- 
teen churches represented, with five hundred and tAventy- 
five members. 

At the fourth session of this body, in 1852, the name was 
changed to Central Baptist Association, Elder B. E. 
Lucas moderator, and B. F. Burroughs clerk. Brother 
Lucas was ordained by Bishop Andrews as a preacher in 
the Methodist church, in 1843, in the State of Tennessee. 
He came to Texas in 1846, and settled in Sabine County. 
In 1850, being greatly dissatisfied with the ordinances and 
government of the Methodist church, he made application 
and was received as a proper candidate for baptism by the 
Hamilton Baptist church, Sabine County, and was immersed 
by Elder William Britton, in Ma^^, 1850. The same year 
he was ordained by Elders William Britton and Robert 
Turner. He spent much time as missionary in the Central 
Association, and served as pastor at Union, Providence, 



310 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

Mount Moriah, and other points in the east. He afterwards 
moved to Northern Texas, and his name appears as moder- 
ator of Elm Fork Association in 1866. 

I have met brother Lucas, and from him learned much of 
the trials of the brethren in that section, where Moderators 
and Regulators once spread so much terror and confusion. 
He has been useful in the past, and still toils on in the gos- 
pel of Jesus. 

At the sixth annual session, in 1855, the number of 
churches was ten, with two hundred and ninety-two mem- 
bers. Several had withdrawn to form other associations. 
Elder John L. Mills was moderator. The body, at this 
meetiug, passed a resolution recommending the "State 
Legislature to pass the Maine Liquor Law, or one similar," 
and at the same time urged pastors to speak out decidedly 
from the pulpit on the temperance question. Whether the 
churches in that section were cursed with a membership 
guilty of " dram-drinking " or not, the records do not show. 
Whether the evil prevailed in that section more than in 
other parts of the State, I cannot say ; but one thing is 
apparent : those brethren felt that the times demanded 
them to speak out, and they did it, even in the legislative 
halls of the countr3^ By this act Wiqj unanimousl}^ rebuked 
the devil to his face, and we only regret that there are not 
more combinations in the land against an evil that creeps 
like a serpent into the abode of domestic happiness, and, 
after doing his mischief, mocks at a widow's tears, and 
laughs at the wretchedness of the fatherless. The spirit of 
Christianity knows no sympathy with this child, whose 
father is the Devil and whose mother is Beastly Appetite. 

While I do not believe that Baptists in Texas, or in 
other States, are guilty of this sin above other denominations 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 311 

professing to abide by the principles of Christ, yet the 
churches do not measure arms with this vice and hurl the 
monster from their midst as faithfully as the word of God 
directs. And now let every youth who reads these pages 
heed the admonition of an old man, and avoid all the paths 
that lead to a drunkard's life, a drunkard's grave, and a 
drunkard's hell. 

To fill the vacanc}^ in the body caused by the withdrawal 
of churches at former sessions, new churches were organized 
and added to the association, and in 1858 there were four- 
teen churches represented, with four hundred and ten mem- 
bers. The territor}^ extended over the Counties of Shelby, 
Sabine, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, Rusk, and Panola. 

After the decline of my health, in 1847, which caused me 
to give up my appointment as missionar}^ under the Board 
of the Southern Baptist Convention, my ministry was some- 
what irregular. I kept up the habit, formed in early life, 
of making long tours whenever I could ; but these were not 
so frequent nor extensive as in former years. Months some- 
times passed during which I could do but little travelling, 
and these intervals in my ministry have continued to grow 
longer, until I can do but little more than sit in my room 
and pen the records of labor in the past. When at home, 
much of my attention was given to the farm, and as so 
many labor-saving machines had been invented, my mind 
went in search of an invention that would enable a man to 
plough up, plant and cultivate more of the rich prairie soil 
around me than it was possible to do with the implements 
of husbandrj^ our fathers gave us. I never could see the 
reason why I should carry a jug of molasses iu one end of 
the sack and a rock in the other simply because my father 



312 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

did, when I could just as easily carry in the same sack 
another gallon of molasses. 

The time to break new prairie land was upon us, and, vis- 
iting the shops in the country, I could get no ploughs made, 
for want of suitable iron. To expedite my work, while the 
iron was coming I made a frame in the shape of a common 
harrow, and put into it five old-fashioned duck-bill colters, 
which were afterwards increased to nine. The frame rested 
on two wheels sawed from a post oak, twenty inches in 
diameter, with a foot to bear up the front end. The whole, 
thus adjusted, was tied behind the fore-wheels of a wagon 
and dragged by a long team of oxen. Four acres of land 
were broken in a day ; and when it was ploughed with this 
same implement across the other way the prairie was thor- 
oughly torn up. This was the first plough on wheels that I 
had heard anything of, either in Texas or any other State, 
and was certainly a success. 

My friends were greatly amused for the entire season, 
but this led to the invention of the first planting machine, 
that I had any knowledge of, the following spring. A plough 
was attached to the fore-wheels of my wagon, drawn by two 
horses, that opened a furrow for the corn. The corn was 
•regularly dropped, without the aid of human hands, covered 
and nicely harrowed over, while the driver rode on the 
machine and directed the team. Seeing that this experi- 
ment was a success, I invited my neighbors to examine the 
work. As they approached, they inquired of the young 
man engaged in planting how he was succeeding. His 
reply was, " I hardly know ; but I have certainly multiplied 
myself into five men. I open the furrow, one ; I drop the 
corn, two ; I throw two furrows on it, four ; I drag a har- 



TWO ASSOCIATIONS. 313 

row over it, five ; and this is all done with so little labor 
on my part that I am afraid it is of no account." 

Had I gone forward at once and secured patents for what 
I was justly entitled to, as my friends urged me to do, and 
devoted a portion of my time to improvements that sug- 
gested themselves to my mind soon after, the result neces- 
sarily would have been a large accumulation of money. 
Some conscientious scruples relative to the loss of time 
from my ministry and the danger of diverting my mind too 
much from preaching prevented me until 1657, — at which 
time I will notice the machine aojain. 




CHAPTEE XXVII. 

HARMONIOUS ACTIVITY. 1850 TO 1852. 

O far as I am able to collect information, from min- 
utes and other documents before me, no new asso- 
ciation of Baptists was organized in 1850. A 
sufficient number of general organizations were in 
existence to meet the demands of the scattered churches, 
and the combined efforts of the denomination were being 
put forth to strengthen the infant churches and associations, 
and to supply the destitute communities with the word of 
life. While the missionaries, under appointment of the 
various Boards in the State, were travelling in every direc- 
tion, and with marked success, there was manifest a general 
desire to correspond and co-operate, and ministers, with 
many of the private members of the churches, considered it 
a privilege to ride a hundred miles on horseback to attend 
their sister associations, and thus aid, by their presence and 
counsel, in promoting the interests of our common cause, in 
every locality. Jealousies and dissensions were strangers 
among us. By this time we were well agreed in doctrine, 
and when we differed on plans of operation, exchanges of 
views, in private and in public, were marked with so much 
of the spirit of Christ that even these tended to bind us 
more closely together. Among the happiest recollections 
of mj^ life is the peace that in those days marked the prog- 
ress of our Zion. Some of our hearts had been caused 
314 



HARMONIOUS ACTIVITY. 315 

toaclie, m former times, when errors on points of doctrine 
were brought in among us, which in their very nature, if re- 
ceived, rolled the apple of discord among the churches 
that must necessarily multiply itself into a variety of isms 
and heresies. This state of things was brought about by 
*' false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily 
to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that 
they might bring us into bondage ; to whom we gave place 
by subjection, no, not for an hour." With these we had 
been compelled to take issue, and " earnestly contend for 
the faith once delivered unto the saints." Having passed 
through this ordeal and attained unto unity in doctrine, we 
rejoiced. Since that time, whenever I have seen petty 
questions about pet plans and local interests, where no vital 
principles connected with church polity were involved, 
sprung upon us, calculated in their very nature to produce 
alienation without just cause, the remembrance of the days 
of our peace, and our fearful responsibility touching the ob- 
ligation "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of 
peace," has caused mj tears to fall, and my jjraj^ers to 
ascend that God would strangle this child from the " pit," 
before he grew strong enough to break the bands that 
bound an active, earnest and loving brotherhood together. 
As long as we can meet together, and the one sentiment, 
" one Lord, one faith, and one baptism," finds a united re- 
ponse from the body, there is no excuse for disorganization. 
In the midst of the union and concert of action that 
marked this era in our history, the following resolution was 
adopted by the Baptist State Convention, at its session in 
1850, held with the Huntsville church : Mesolved, that some 
suitable person be appointed to collect such historical facts 
relating to the introduction of the gospel, and the rise and 



316 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

progress of our deuoniination in this State, as may serve as 
useful records in coming years ; such as the constitutions of 
all churches and associations, the names and important statis- 
tics of all Baptist ministers, and such other facts as he may 
deem necessary to be preserved. Elder J, W. D. Creath 
was appointed at the same meeting to perform this service. 

According to the spirit and letter of this resolution, 
brother Creath entered upon the work assigned him in con- 
nection with his other arduous labors, and has collected a 
large amount of material for the historian. B}^ his per- 
mission, I have been allowed to have access to this verj^ 
valuable collection, that has served greatly to refresh my 
memory concerning some facts forgotten, and I have also 
been able to add with this assistance some additional facts 
and incidents to those already in my possession. 

During the years 1850 and 1851, except the care of 
one church near my home, I sustained no relation as mis- 
sionary to any Board, nor as pastor of any church. There 
was much need of mission work, and, as my health at times 
prevented me from regular work, I visited the larger portion 
of the State, west of the Trinity River, at my own expense, 
and did what I could in strengthening weak churches and 
preaching among the destitute. While on my way to the 
Baptist State Convention, held with the church at Indepen- 
dence, in June, 1851, I met for the first time with Elder 
Jonas Johnston. He had only been a short time in Texas, 
and being a South Carolinian, had much to say about the 
old State. As South Carolina was my native State, the 
right hand of fellowship was at once given in consideration 
of a common feeling relative to the home of our childhood. 
The bonds of union that bound us together on that ground 



HARMOXIOUS ACTIVITY. 317 

were soon forgotten, as we entered into conversation on 
Baptist principles. 

Elder Johnston carried with him then, as he has ever 
done since, the independence of a fearless advocacy of our 
distinctive principles. God's sovereignty in the plan and 
in tlie execution of the grand scheme of redemption, in the 
exercise of which " he hath saved us and called us with a 
holy calling, not according to our works, but according to 
his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ 
Jesus before the world began," which doctrine our Baptist 
fathers boldly declared, finds in brother Johnston a fearless 
defender and advocate. "When he takes hold of this sub- 
ject, or the final perseverance of all the saints through 
grace to glory in heaven, or instructs the people concerning 
the ordinances, government, and perpetuity of the church, 
he speaks plainly and decidedly. " If the trumpet give an 
uncertain sound," in the hands of some of our Baptist 
preachers, on these questions, such a charge certainly can- 
not be preferred against Elder Johnston. 

He has served as pastor of several churches in Grimes, 
Montgomery, and Walker Counties, has baptized a great 
many people, and has always taken an active interest in the 
mission and educational enterprises of the denomination in 
Texas. But fev/ of our Baptist preachers have possessed 
financial resources equal to his, and whenever and wherever 
the cause has demanded money he has given clear evidences 
of large benevolence. 

In the very heart of the territory in Eastern Texas, from 
which the Cherokee Indians were driven out, in 1839, by 
the Texan troops, under Douglass, Burleson, and Rusk, the 
voices of Elders W. H. Ray, J. Rasbury, and others, for 
some time previous to 1851, had been declaring the way of 



318 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

salvation to the people in Smith and Eusk Counties. In 
December, 1851, messengers from three churches — Harris 
Creek and Mount Zion, Smith County, and Sharon church, 
Rusk County — met with the Mount Zion church and organ- 
ized the Cherokee Baptist Association. Elder Rasbury was 
elected moderator, and Elder Ray clerk, and they were the 
only ministers present at the organization. 

When either of these churches was organized I cannot 
state definitely. At the first session, Elder William H. Ray 
was appointed as missionary, and at the second session 
reported five months' work performed. His salary was 
fixed at four hundred dollars per annum, and his report 
shows that fifty dollars of the amount due were paid by the 
Baptist State Convention. At this session, held with Har- 
ris Creek church in September, 1852, resolutions were 
adopted favoring " the establishment of a Female High 
School at Tyler, Smith County." Earnest eff'orts were put 
forth by these brethren in the educational and mission 
causes, but, owing to the scarcity of minutes at command, 
I can give no satisfactory statements as to their progress, 
except that at the fifth session, held with Carmel church. 
Smith County, in 1855, with Elder J. S. Bledsoe modera- 
tor, the number of churches was fourteen, with seven hun- 
dred and three members. The territory at that time em- 
braced the counties of Rusk, Smith, Wood and Van Zandt. 

In the month of December, 1851, Elder Thomas Chilton 
came from Alabama to Texas, and settled as pastor of the 
church in Houston. I first met him in the Union Associa- 
tion, held with the Montgomery church, in October, 1852. 
He was a man of acknowledged abilit}^ much decision of 
character, and as a pulpit orator ranked among the first in 
the denomination. His personal appearance was command- 



HARMONIOUS ACTIVITY. 319 

ing, and his manner bold and fearless. With a clear head 
and an earnest delivery, he pressed his conclusions with 
great power. 

His name appears as pastor at Houston for two years. 
On the sixteenth day of August, 1854, while serving as 
pastor of the church at Montgomery, he died in the midst 
of his flock, who loved him much. His sojourn among us 
in Texas was short, but his name and deeds of love live on, 
and will, in the memory of many Texas Baptists. 

Perhaps never in the history of the country w^as the hus- 
bandman better rewarded for his labor than in 1852. 
There have been 3'ears before and since when God seemed 
to speak to his people in Texas as he did to the ancient 
Israelites : " Thy heaven that is over thy head shall be 
brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron." 
During that year the rains from heaven watered the earth 
bountifully, and the land brought forth an abundant har- 
vest, that greatly encouraged the people, and swelled the 
tide of immigration that steadily poured into the State 
from every quarter. 

The brethren were able to provide more liberal means 
for the cause of missions and for the promotion of our 
educational enterprises. God blessed the churches in 
many localities with refreshings from his presence, and 
our minutes show ingatherings both by baptism and by 
letter. 

The Bethlehem Baptist Association was organized at 
Woodville, Tyler County, on the twentj^-fifth day of Sep- 
tember, 1852. Messengers from five churches, Sardis, 
Indian Creek, Zion, Providence and Bethel, were present. 
Three ordained and two licentiate ministers were present, 
and the total membership represented was eighty-eight. 



320 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

it 

Elder E. Viniiig preached the introductory sermon and 
was elected moderator. 

He was by birth a Georgian, and was ordained as a 
minister in 184C, at the age of thirty years. In 1847 he 
removed to Florida, and in 1850 came to Texas, and set- 
tled in Jasper County. With Elder Viuing I had no 
personal acquaintance, but from a circular letter, read 
before the first session of the association, clear CYidences 
are given that he was a man of ability, and hesitated not 
to avow his principles boldly. His position among the 
churches and in the association shows that he had the 
confidence and appreciation of his brethren among whom 
he labored. In 1855 he was pastor of four churches in 
this body, and was moderator of the association at every 
session from the organization till his death. He died 
March 5, 1856, at his residence in Polk Countj^ The 
light which he borrowed from the Eedeemer shined in 
Texas for six years, and then the Master called him 
home. 

At the second session, in 1853, held with Providence 
church, Jefferson County, six queries were presented for 
discussion, and according to the word of God were cor- 
rectly answered. While these questions were of a general 
character, and answers correctly given, I must be , per- 
mitted here to record my conviction that a vast amount 
more of trouble than good has grown out of the discussion 
of and answers to queries brought before our associations. 
Especially is this true when queries of a general charac- 
ter are presented, involving cases of a local character. 
In my early ministry questions of this kind were fre- 
quently forced upon us in our general meetings. 

One incident will serve to illustrate this evil. In 1832, 



HARMONIOUS ACTIVITY. 321 

in the Obion Association, in the State of Tennessee, where 
there was much opposition among Baptists to masonry, a 
query was presented on this subject that came very near 
rending the body asunder. The moderator of the associa- 
tion, I, and others, were members of that ancient order, 
and at peace in our churches on this question. Our cases 
brought the query up. This association, after an ani- 
mated discussion, threw the query out, and wisely refused 
to give any answer at all. The better plan, when ex- 
ceedingly diflScult questions involve the harmonious action 
of a church, is, to call a council from sister churches, and 
allow the case to be decided by disinterested brethren in the 
locality where the difficulty occurs. Queries sometimes 
may and ought to be sent to associations ; but the parties 
who send them and the bodies who entertain them 
should be exceedingljr careful, or the result in many 
instances will be evil instead of good. The main object 
in an association should be to effect by combinations in 
the work of evangelization what cannot be effected by 
single churches ; and while such organizations should 
labor to promote unity in the faith of the gospel, ques- 
tions that " gender strifes," rather than the " peaceable 
fruits of righteousness," should always be avoided. The 
reader will bear in mind that there is no intention upon 
the part of the writer to cast stones either at the brethren 
who introduced or those who entertained the queries 
alluded to. They were all of a general character, and 
the answers were correctly and properly given. 

At this same session an executive committee was ap- 
pointed to labor in the cause of domestic missions 
during the recess of the body. At the third session, in 
1854, held with the Sardis church, Newton County, the 
21 



322 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

missionary, Elder E. S. Phelps, made the following 
report : "I have been employed by the Executive Board, 
as domestic missionary, one hundred and thirty-nine days ; 
travelled two thousand four hundred and eightj-two miles ; 
preached ninety-two sermons ; delivered nine exhortations ; 
visited eighty-four families ; baptized seven, and assisted iu 
the constitution of two churches." 

The name of Elder Eeuben E. Brown appears as the 
missionary of this body in 1856. He was emploj^ed as 
missionary in May, and on the first of November re- 
ported, as the result of six months' work, one hundred and 
eighty-eight baptisms, and one hundred and eighty-six 
sermons preached. During this time he aided in the 
constitution of three churches, the ordination of one min- 
ister and seven deacons. He had been in Texas only a 
short time previous to this appointment. 

Elder Brown was by nature an extraordinary man, and 
all who have ever associated with him are bound to admit it. 
I met him frequently during his sojourn in Texas. He was 
from Alabama, and his first report, just recorded, shows 
that he was a revivalist. He labored for a number of years 
as a Methodist preacher previous to his union with the 
Baptists. Although a man of limited education, he was 
wonderfully gifted with ability to move the masses to an 
earnest consideration of things eternal. In person he was 
very tall, and, like Saul, " from his shoulders and upwards 
he was higher than any of the people." His voice was clear 
as a trumpet, and of great strength and endurance. In 
sacred song he had but few if any equals, and frequently 
melted large congregations to tears under the strains of 
music from his single voice. His was the gift of exhorta- 
tion promised to the churches, and, after a life of usefulness, 



HARMONIOUS ACTIVITY. 323 

he died at his post as a preacher in the city of Galveston, 
during the late war, in hope of a blessed immortality. 

The brethren of this association prosecuted their work 
with earnestness and zeal. Harmony and activity marked 
their operations, and at the sixth session, held with the 
Beach Creek church, Tyler County, in 1857, messengers 
came up from twenty-two churches, with a total member- 
ship of six hundred and forty-two. Their territory fit this 
time embraced seven counties, Jasper, Newton, Orange, 
Tyler, Polk, San Augustine and Jefferson. At this session 
the name of Elder W. B. Prewett appears as pastor of the. 
church at Moscow, Polk County. 

He was by birth an Alabamian, and moved to Texas in 
1850, at the age of twenty-three, and settled in Trinity 
County. He was baptized by Elder J. V. Wright into the 
fellowship of the Bethel church, Polk County, and subse- 
quently ordained to the work of the ministry. With this 
young brother I met but once, in one of the sessions of the 
Baptist State Convention, but the impressions made upon 
my .mind by this interview have not been erased. His 
piety was deep and ardent, and his mind was intent upon 
the investigation of the word of God. He gave the 
clearest evidences of deep humility, combined with fixed- 
ness of purpose and consecration to his work as a preacher. 
On the twenty-second day of March, 1859, at the age of 
thirty-two, God called him to rest from his labors. 

While we rejoice at the prosperity that attended the 
labors of both ministers and churches in the bounds of 
Bethlehem Association, it is a painful duty thus to record 
the death of three of her most useful preachers, whose 
lives were connected with her early history. 



I 



CHAPTEE XXVIII. 

THE EASTERN CONVENTION. 1853. 

i^f^ANNIN and Glrayson Counties join the Indian 
ll Territory, and are near the centre of our northern 
r\lfj border, and a little east of the head waters of the 
^•"-^^ Trinity Eiver. The banner of the cross was 
borne through that region by Elders Harris, Walker, and 
others ; men and women were converted and baptized, and 
these, with others who had been baptized in the older States, 
rallied beneath the flag on which was written " One Lord, 
one faith, and one baptism," and were organized in Baptist 
churches. 

On the twenty-fifth of June, 1853, representatives from 
three churches. Pleasant Hill, Salem, and New Hope, met 
in convention at Bonham, Fannin County, with Elder John 
O. Walker moderator. These messengers then and there 
declared their belief that it was expedient to form an asso- 
ciation. In October following, messengers from four 
churches, with a membership of one hundred and forty-five, 
met with the Pleasant Hill church, Grayson County, and 
organized the Sister Grove United Missionary Baptist 
Association. A Missionary Board, consisting of only three 
brethren, S. D. Rainey, Gideon Smith, and Z. Ray, was 
appointed at this meeting, and at the second session, held, 
in September, 1854, with the church at Bonham, Elder B. 

324 



THE EASTERN CONVENTION. 325 

Watson moderator, said committee made the following 
report : — 

" The Executive Board of Sister Grove Association beg 
leave to report, that they employed our beloved brother, J. 
Briscoe, at the rate of fifty dollars per month. Commenc- 
ing his labors on the first of June last, he reports that, with 
the assistance of other brethren in the ministry, the good 
Lord has abundantly blessed the feeble efl[^brts of the hum- 
ble instrument thus employed. He has travelled six hun- 
dred and thirty miles, preached fifty sermons, delivered 
thirty exhortations, witnessed one hundred and twenty 
conversions, and baptized eighty-five persons." In October, 
1855, the association met with Ephesus church, Choctaw 
Nation, Elder T. J. Harris moderator. Eight churches 
petitioned for membership and were received at this session. 

The report of the board shows that Elders Briscoe and 
McCombs were the missionaries. Three active men on an 
executive committee are far more efiective in carrying for- 
ward either mission or educational enterprises than a com- 
mittee of a larger number ordinarily. Here is a clear 
case : Three brethren received a commission from the asso- 
ciation, in 1853, to look after the mission work, and they 
did it well. Encouraged by their success, and with a view 
of enlisting the churches more earnestl}^ in the good cause, 
the body passed a resolution, in 1855, appointing an execu- 
tive board of fifteen, one from every church, instead of 
three. As is usually the case, it was difiicult to get a quo- 
rum, and the many trusted to a few, who did not feel 
disposed to assume responsibilities for the manj^ Under 
this system the work was greatly embarrassed. At the 
next session, in 1856, held with Concord church, Hunt 
County, the number of the board was reduced to three, and 



326 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

the mission cause moved forward again. In view of the 
many failures that have befallen us in consequence of these 
large committees, surely it is time the number was reduced 
to three, or five at most, and if we can't find a few breth- 
ren that can conveniently meet together, to whom we can 
confide any interest we have, the sooner we give up the 
enterprise the better. The appointment of a few means 
work, while the appointment of many means honorary 
membership, which class of members the Baptists of Texas 
can well do without. 

This association, in 1854, recorded the sad intelligence 
that Elder John O. Walker was dead. The following is an 
extract from the minutes : " The Lord in his providence 
has taken from our midst, by death, one of our most faith- 
ful and eflicient ministers of the gospel, brother John O. 
Walker, who was truly an humble and pious follower of 
Jesus Christ, and who had, according to his acquaintance, 
as many friends and as few enemies as perhaps ever falls to 
the lot of man on earth. His religious life was character- 
ized by charity to the poor, sympathy to the afflicted, kind- 
ness and hospitality to all classes of society. He was the 
friend and advocate of all benevolent institutions, and was 
ever ready to labor in the advancement of his Master's 
cause, in any and every way that it was possible for mortal 
man to toil." The first moderator of this band of noble 
workers passed to his reward, but his influence was felt by 
others, whom God raised up to carry the work forward. 

In 1858, when the number of churches was twent3^-five, 
with about twelve hundred members, a committee of five 
was appointed " to select a suitable location for the estab- 
lishment of a Denominational School." In 1860, the com- 
mittee reported the Ladonia Male and Female Institute, 



THE EASTERN CONVENTION. 327 

located at Ladonia, in Fannin County. Gideon Smith, the 
moderator that year, was appointed president of the board 
of trustees. The following year the school was reported in 
a prosperous condition, under the charge of Elder J. C. 
Averitt and lady. It subsequently passed into the hands 
of Elder W. B. Featherston as president, who holds the 
position still. 

As an educator Elder Featherston ranks among the 
first in the country. By his indomitable perseverance, and 
the co-operation of his brethren, this school has been made 
a great blessing to the people of northern Texas. Baylor 
University has the honor of lending aid to Elder D. B. 
Morrill as one of its first beneficiaries. His voice was 
heard in the defence of the truth, north, east, south and 
west, and some of the last labors of his life were given to 
the people at Ladonia. Elder Featherston was his bosom 
friend and earnest co-worker in defence of the truth, and 
when this good man and self-sacrificing preacher passed 
away, leaving a widow and a large family of children, with- 
out earthly riches, he engaged to see that these children 
were educated. While the friends of Baylor University re- 
joice in being permitted to have part in the education of 
the father, Ladonia and the noble-hearted president, with the 
brethren who sympathize with him and aid in the work, have 
still greater reason to rejoice while engaged in that which 
is even more acceptable to God. He who lends the aid of 
but a single farthing in the education of the children of 
such a man, with the fear of God before his eyes, cannot 
fail to reap his reward. 

Among the names of ministers in this body is that of 
Elder S. J. Wright. When but a bojr, and as early as 1839, 
I knew him on the Colorado River. His father and two 



328 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

older brothers were preachers, and when God gave hun a 
new heart, his mind was fired with a desire to publicly 
point out the way that leads to God. Not satisfied with 
his mental attainments, he entered Baylor University after 
he was the head of a family, and there cultivated his mind 
with the same earnest efforts that subsequently marked his 
ministry. He afterwards moved to northern Texas, and served 
as pastor in Fannin and Grayson Counties until his death, 
which occurred on the fourteenth of October, 1868. He 
held a high position in the estimation of his brethren, and 
did much to lay broad and deep the foundation of that sue- 
cess that has attended the cause of Christ in that section. 

At the ninth annual session, in 1861, the three churches 
that were represented at the organization were increased to 
thirty-two, with a membership of fourteen hundred and 
forty-three. The territory at that time embraced the 
counties of Fannin, Grayson, Collin, Denton and Hunt. 

As has been seen, the Baptists east of the Trinity River 
increased rapidly both by immigration and by baptism, and 
according to the judgment of the leading spirits in that 
section the territory was too large for one general organi- 
zation. In accordance with this view, a convention met at 
Larissa, Cherokee Count}^, in November, 1853, and formed 
The Texas Baptist General Association. The introduc- 
tory sermon was preached by Elder M. Lepard. He had 
then but recently entered the State. As a preacher he was 
earnest, and a bold defender of the principles of that sect 
everywhere spoken against. The churches in Rusk County 
felt the power of his ministry only a short time, until a 
cancer claimed him as its victim. While absent from his 
family, in Tennessee, seeking medical aid, he passed to the 



TRE EASTERN CONVENTION. 329 

upper sanctuary, in Januarj^, 1859, and rests from toil and 
suffering. 

The first president was Elder I. H. Lane, from Cherokee 
County, who after a long and successful ministry fell asleep 
in the arms of the Master he loved so much, in April, 1858. 
The constitution under which this body was formed was very 
much the same as that adopted by the Baptist State Con- 
vention. The second article reads as follows : " The ob- 
jects of this body shall be missionary and educational, the 
promotion of harmony in the denomination, and the organ- 
ization of some general system for the advancement of the 
Redeemer's kingdom." 

On the twenty-fourth day of May, 1855, this organization 
was dissolved at Tyler, Smith Count}^, and the Baptist 
Convention of Eastern Texas organized upon the spot, with 
Elder Wm. H. Stokes president, and Wm. Davenport 
secretary. At this meeting the difficulty between Elder G-. 
G. Baggerly and brethren in the west was settled. Differ- 
ences of opinion had existed as to the proper appropria- 
tion of denominational funds, and charges of unfaithfulness 
were rashly made by Elder Baggerly against the Board of 
the convention in the west. After a rigid examination on 
the part of a judicious committee, receiving testimony from 
brethren east and west, the apparent discrepancies were all 
accounted for ; and when their report was made to the con- 
vention, a resolution was passed declaring the differences 
*' amicabl}> adjusted." As an evidence of their determina- 
tion to heartily co-operate with the convention in the west, 
the " Texas Baptist " was adopted as their denominational 
organ, and Elder Wm. H. Stokes was elected correspond- 
ing editor. 

Riojht earnestly did these brethren now address them- 



330 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

selves to their work. Their missionaries penetrated many 
destitute fields, and rendered efficient aid in establishing 
the struggling churches. The voices of Elders Tucker, 
Witt, Clemons and Morrill — all able, earnest men of God 
— were heard throughout the territory of the east, as general 
agents of this body, pleading the cause of missions among 
the churches. 

In 1859, when the convention was held with the church 
at Bonham, Fannin County, with Elder A. E. Clemons 
president, a committee of fifteen was appointed to " take 
into consideration the propriety of building up a denom- 
inational school of such a character as will meet the wants 
of the denomination in eastern Texas." In I860, when 
the convention was in session at Tyler, Smith County, with 
Elder J. S. Bledsoe president, the East Texas Baptist 
Male College was located at Tyler, and placed by the 
board of trustees in charge of Elders W. B. Featherston 
and J. R. Clark. Before this institution of learning was 
thoroughly organized, and before its friends had time to 
rally in their strength around it, the war between the States 
was upon us, and ere the struggle was ended the school 
ceased to exist. 

Prominent among the names of ministers in this body 
appears the name of Elder John H. Rowland. With a 
piercing blue eye, angular features, and well-developed head, 
he gives evidence of a man of mark. Although he did 
not enjoy the advantages of early education, the superiority 
of his natural powers of intellect, brought to bear upon the 
word of God from the pulpit, causes his audience to forget 
the defects in his early mental culture. Possessed of a full 
and commanding voice, with clear and vigorous thought, he 
presses truth upon the minds of the people with great power. 



I 



THE EASTERN CONVENTION. 331 

He came from Mississippi to Texas in the spring of 1853, 
and, passing in a boat up the Trinity River, landed on the 
soil of Anderson County. In a strange land and out of 
money, he had a fine opportunity to manifest that indepen- 
dence of thought and action that has been characteristic of 
the man in all his subsequent history in Texas. He entered 
a store in the town of Palestine, and spent a few weeks in 
keeping books. As he came to Texas to preach, and not to 
keep books, the position was by no means a pleasant one ; 
and receiving a pressing invitation from brother John Smith 
to pa}^ him a visit five miles in the country, with a prospect 
of finding employment as a preacher, he left the store and 
the town to preach among the destitute. He left the town 
as he entered it, afoot, and walked to the house of brother 
Smith. Here he was furnished with a horse, and from this 
brother received a pledge, that, if he would devote his time 
and energies on that destitute field, he should not only be 
provided with a horse, but should in addition to this have 
food and raiment. 

The surrounding country was then one vast field of desti- 
tution. No sooner did this missionary enter that field than 
evidences were given of the divine approval of the man and 
his work. One revival after another, at different points in . 
the county, followed in quick succession. Before the year 
closed more churches were organized than he could supply. 
Among the first work he did was the baptism of two of 
brother Smith's children, and as he returned with the son of 
sixteen summers from the water, he said to the father, " I 
feel that I have baptized a preacher." That son was Elder 
M. V. Smith, whose name is familiar to the Baptists of 
Texas. With the exception of a short interval, during 
which time he served as pastor in Freestone and Limestone 



332 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

Counties, his ministry has been confined to the east, among 
the churches of Anderson, Smith and Rusk Counties. 

It was my privilege to meet Elder Rowland for the first 
time at the Trinity River Association, in 1856, held with 
the Springfield church, of which he was at that time the 
pastor. With him I afterwards spent a week among his 
people. During these interviews, impressions were made 
upon my mind and attachments formed for the man that 
are among the most pleasant reminiscences of my life. 
He is of that class of men, outspoken and impulsive, who 
when right are " mighty right," and when wrong are 
" mighty wrong." 

In him the Baptist cause has ever found a bold and 
earnest defender. Almost twenty years with him have 
passed in Texas, during which his influence has been felt 
over an extensive field. He is now the pastor of the 
church at T3'ler, Smith County. 

The Baptist Convention of Eastern Texas, at its 
session in 1863, inaugurated the "army mission" in the 
trans-Mississippi department. The churches, instead of 
banding themselves together, and selecting and sending to 
the field their most prudent and pious preachers, — men 
adapted to the work, — trusted to government oflScials to 
supply the army with chaplains. These officials were 
mostly men of the world, and without the fear of God 
before their eyes. The selection of chaplains in a large 
number of instances was a matter of mere personal favor- 
itism. Two years of war passed, and most of the preachers 
who filled this position in the early part of the war 
had returned to their homes discouraged. The brethren 
in the east now had their attention directed to the fact 
that the commission to preach the gospel was not com- 



THE EASTERN CONVENTION. 333 

mitted either to human goTeruments or human organiza- 
tions, but to the church of God. A man was lound 
whose judgment and heart were in perfect sympathy with 
this scriptural policy, and who was willing to consecrate 
himself to mission work on the tented field. Believing 
that the church and State were organized for separate and 
widely different purposes, his conscience stumbled at the 
union of church and State, even touching the chaplaincy. 
He was willing to serve the churches as a missionary, but 
was unwilling to be trammelled by the secular power in 
the exercise of his ministry. That man was Elder M. V. 
Smith. It was my privilege to hear him on this subject 
before the Baptist State Convention, at Iluntsviile, during 
the war, by request ; and it was one of the happiest efibrts 
of his life. The Scriptures and personal experience and 
observation were brought so forcibly to bear upon this 
great question, that the Baptist heart could but respond a 
hearty amen to the utterances of the speaker. 

At the session of the Eastern Convention alluded to lie 
was appointed as missionary to the Texas armies, then in 
Arkansas and Louisiana. Being present, the appoint- 
ment was accepted, provided his resignation as an officer 
in the Confederate army was accepted. 

Elder Smith was by birth a South Carolinian, and was 
brought b}^ his parents from Mississippi to Texas in 1850, 
at the age of thirteen years. Anderson Countj^ was the 
home of this family for about nine 3'ears. Although the 
subject of deep religious impressions from early childhood, 
he did not realize a change of heart until sixteen 3'ears 
old, under the ministry of Elder J. H. Rowland, by whom 
he was baptized in July, 1853. The impression fixed upon 
the mind of the administrator of the holy ordinance, that 



334 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

the boy would become a, preacher, was in perfect keeping 
with impressions soon made upon the heart of the youth by 
the Spirit of God. The handwriting of God was so plainh- 
written and sealed by his Spirit, that the people soon rec- 
ognized the fact that he was " a chosen vessel " to bear 
the name of God before his neighbors. That spirit of 
love divine that brought the Redeemer to the earth for 
the accomplishment of his glorious work on behalf of a 
world already condemned, in consequence of unbelief, had 
so thoroughly quickened the dead faculties of the soul as 
to bring forth fruit unto holiness, and as he had " freely re- 
ceived," he was at once impressed with his dixxtj to 
appropriate his talents — all — to the service of God. 

His father had wisely taken the delicate child from his 
studies at the age of eleven years, and steadily kept him 
at labor on the farm for five consecutive years. Having 
determined to consecrate his life to the Christian ministry, 
he entered school in September, after his baptism in Jul}^ 
His mind thirsted after knowledge, and with him there was 
no time to lose. Great was the work, and the responsi- 
bilities high as heaven, deep as hell, and boundless as 
eternity. Although he was physically weak, God blessed 
him with a vigorous mind, capable of grasping knowledge 
rapidly, and possessed of great powers of concentration. 
He commenced exercising his gift, in a modest way, im- 
mediately. In 1855, at the age of eighteen, he was 
licensed to preach by the church at Palestine, while still 
pursuing his studies. In consequence of the great scarcity 
of ministers in that section, the brethren soon suggested 
the importance of his ordination. His extreme diffidence 
and the consciousness of responsibility caused him to beg 
for time. Hiding himself behind the injunction of Paul, 



THE EASTERN CONVENTION: 335 

" Lay hands suddenly on no man," and often repeating to 
himself, " Who is sufficient for these things?" he induced 
the brethren to defer his ordination, until a request came 
from a church in an adjoining count}^, when he submitted 
to the hands of the presbytery, in 1858, composed of 
Elders G. W. Baines, D. B. Morrill, J. R. Malone and 
N. Grain. 

He was immediately called to the care of the church at 
Palestine, and others in that vicinity, and with all the 
means at command continued in school until 1859, when he 
removed to Eusk County, and took charge of churches In 
Smith and Rusk Counties. He now lived in the family of 
his former pastor, J. H. Rowland, at whose hands he had 
received the ordinance of baptism, and the two felt much 
toward each other as did Paul and Timothy, the father and 
son in the gospel. An amicable arrangement was made, by 
which Elder Rowland was taught in the languages, and the 
young preacher received the benefit, in return, of Elder 
Rowland's knowledge of theology and pastoral work. 

In S3^mpathy with the tide of southern patriotism that 
swept over the country, Elder Smith entered the army, and 
accepted a captain's commission. It was an evil day with 
him when he left the pastorate and assumed the duties of a 
soldier under Caesar ; but, like many other preachers, he 
drifted with the mighty current, and for nearly two years 
served as a soldier, with honor both to himself and the 
country. A merciful God overruled it for good. I fre- 
quently heard from this young brother through the passing 
soldiers, and, although I had never seen him, had learned to 
love the captain, who, after long marches at the head of his 
infantry company, preached at night, and on all occasions 
when his duties as an officer would permit. 



336 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

At length, while the writer was pastor of the church at 
Bedais, Grimes County, in 1863, I was introduced to Cap- 
tain Smith, at the time and place appointed for Saturdaj?- con- 
ference. I insisted that he must preach ; but he remonstrated 
earnestly, sajang that he had just ridden five hundred miles 
on horseback, — had been detained on the way by sickness, 
— had stopped twice to preach, — and had heard nobody 
preach but himself in over a year. Those who know him 
will remember how earnestly he can beg ; but in this case 
no excuse was taken. 

I may remark that I sympathized with the young man in 
the midst of his embarrassment. I was aware of the fact 
that the silken cord of love bound his heart and the heart 
of a pious 3^oung lady, a member of my flock, very tenderl}^ 
together, and that upon this mutual affection the pledge 
had been made. All unknown to him, while in the camp in 
Arkansas, Miss Cornelia Camp, the daughter of John and 
Eliza Camp, had permitted me in confidence to read some 
extracts from his letters. The famil}^ were present, and 
neither they nor any member of the congregation had ever 
heard him preach. Notwithstanding all this, we pressed 
him into the pulpit. 

The church at the time was in trouble, of which he was 
entirely ignorant. Reading the eighteenth chapter of Mat- 
thew, and some other passages of Scripture bearing upon the 
same subject, the theme selected was church discipline. In 
his treatment of this subject he showed an acquaintance 
with the Scriptures that would have honored riper years. 
Some of the more intelligent members charged the writer 
with posting the preacher, owing to the direct, bold and 
independent bearing on the cases under the discipline of the 
church at the time. On this occasion the secret of his sue- 



THE EASTERN CONVENTION. 337 

cess as a preacher was plainly manifest. He was earnest, 
plain and practical. His sermon on Sunday, touching the 
cross of Christ, was characteristic of those burning, pathetic 
appeals that have melted into tenderness so many hearts in 
the army and out of it. 

In a few days it was my privilege to pronounce the mar- 
riage ceremony between him and Miss Camp. After a short 
stay with the loved ones, he left for his post in the army, 
and on his return attended the Eastern Convention, of 
which he was a member, and which met at Tyler. By this 
body he received the appointment before alluded to. His 
resignation was cheerfully accepted, and all his energies 
were devoted to the mission. No sooner did the churches 
undertake this work than the divine approbation, without a 
doubt, rested upon the enterprise. Soldiers by hundreds 

were converted and baptized. Elder McCraw, who 

had long served as a private soldier in General Walker's 
division, was assigned to duty as a chaplain, and by his 
earnest ministr}^ influenced a number of his associates to 
accept the purchase made by the Captain of our salvation. 
He was at this time only a licentiate preacher ; but, in con- 
sequence of the success that attended his preaching, the 
church at Ebenezer, Walker County, of which he was a 
member, gave authority for his ordination in the army, and 
requested the ordained ministers on the field to form a pres- 
byter}^ and set him apart by the imposition of hands, in the 
name of Christ, to the holy office of a Christian bishop, 
according to the teachings of the New Testament. The 
presbj^ery consisted of Elders M. V. Smith, A. L. Hay, 
and W. A. Mason. Up to this time he was compelled to 
call upon others to administer the ordinance of baptism to 
the numbers that repented under his ministry. After this 



338 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

he baptized a large number himself, and continued in the 
faithful performance of his duties till the close of the war. 

The missionary of the Eastern Convention soon baptized 
and organized into a regular Baptist church over a hundred 
soldiers, and still the work went forward. Elder J. F. 
Johnson was afterwards sent from the east, and Elders F. 
M. Law, J. V. Wright, and W. A. Mason, from the west. 
Eternity alone can reveal the amount of good accomplished 
by this noble band of Texas preachers. 

The delicate constitution of the first missionary was at 
times prostrated by the exposure of preaching and immediate- 
ly afterwards falling asleep with heated lungs upon the open 
field. As his strength returned he was at his post again, till 
the very last ; and a large number of men bore certificates 
of baptism at his hands to various churches throughout the 
State, and some of them are now preaching the glorious 
gospel of the blessed God. 

Old soldiers say that the army is the place to try men's 
souls, — and so it is. Some men who stood high in the 
estimation of their brethren, and who bore the office of the 
Christian ministry, sank beneath the waves of trial ; but this 
man came out of the army without a stain upon his ministe- 
rial character, having passed, under the providence -of a mer- 
ciful God, through it all. As much as he loved his brethren 
in the east, and as much as he desired to return to his old 
field after this mission was ended. Providence ordered 
otherwise, and in 1865 he settled at Navasota as pastor of 
that and two other churches in Grimes County. During 
the two years that he occupied that field he was compelled, 
in order to support his family, to gain a part of his living 
from other pursuits. He labored one year in the school- 
room, but was driven from this by his declining health. 



THE EASTERN CONVENTION, 339 

The same necessity still existed, in consequence of the 
meagre support given him in the ministry ; and for a year, 
still serving the same congregation, he labored as a carpen- 
ter in the town of NaA^asota. 

In 1867 he was called to Washington County, and served 
the churches at Brenham and Chappell Hill one year. In 
1868 the church at Brenham asked for his whole time, and, 
in keeping with his desire to be the pastor of one. church, 
he accepted. God has wonderful^ blessed him in this pas- 
torate. Many have been added to the church under his 
ministry, and it is one of the most efficient bodies in the 
whole country, ready to every good work. 

This church was organized by Elders R. E. B. Baylor and 
H. Garrett, in December, 1846, with nine members, about 
four miles north of Brenham, and was then called New 
Year's Creek church. Elder David Fisher was its first 
pastor. More than five years have passed since the present 
pastor assumed this charge, and every month of this time 
has seemed to bind pastor and people more closely together. 

In addition to the arduous work of a pastor in the midst 
of a large congregation, he is the corresponding secretary 
of the Union Association, and corresponds extensively with 
about thirty-five churches, and their agents appointed to 
collect for the mission fund. As I have seen large pack- 
ages of letters being sent to the churches repeatedly, I have 
been forcibly reminded of the empty reports of a number 
of corresponding secretaries, and am forced to the conclu- 
sion that the brother who accepts this office ought either to 
stir the churches up to the performance of their duty in the 
mission cause, or resign. 

Elder Smith is now in his thirty-fifth year, having passed 
through sixteen years of an eventful ministry. In person 



340 . FLOWERS AND FRUITS 

he is about five feet ten inches high, erect and well formed. 
His head is well balanced, w^ith reverence, veneratioa and 
firmness full, — hair black, — a laughiog, penetrating eye. 
In him the social element largely predominates. His voice 
in the pulpit is clear and distinct, but not strong. His head 
has ever been full of waters and his eyes a fountain of tears 
when he touches the plan of salvation and the sinner's- hope- 
less state out of Christ. 

Much of his usefulness for the past nine years is due to 
his wife, who, according to the word of God, fills her position 
well. She is vigorous, watchful and pious. But lillle does 
she allow domestic cares to trouble him, whose thoughts she 
would have wholly given to the work of the ministry. The 
time she closely watches, and often reminds him of the 
importance of meeting engagements promptly. Although 
full of spirit and capable of the deepest feeling, she bridles 
well her tongue, — and God have mercy upon the poor Bap- 
tist preacher whose wife yields to tongue and temper in the 
midst of his flock. 

At Larissa, Cherokee County, the Judson Association 
was formed in November, 1853, with seventeen churches, 
containing about eight hundred members. Elder I. H. Lane 
was the first moderator, and James E. Teague the first 
clerk. This is the largest number of churches that we have 
yet noticed represented in the organization of any associ- 
ation. As evidence of their aggression, at the fifth session, 
in 1857, held at Crockett, Houston County, there were 
thirty-six churches, with about fourteen hundred members, 
scattered over the territory embraced by Anderson, Hous- 
ton, Cherokee, Rusk, Henderson, Nacogdoches and Trinity 
Counties. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

REVIVALS. 1854 AND 1855. 

^ /^ 'HE year 1854 witnessed a large amount of labor 
(m I ) ^^P^^ ^^® P^^* ^^^^ ^^ ^^® ministry and churches. 
^>5^5^ No new associations were formed ; .but, while ail 
were satisfied that the existing organizations met the demand, 
the work was prosecuted vigorously in every quarter. Far 
up the Trinity the old soldier, Elder N. T. Byars, with 
Elders J. C. Hunton, E. A. Daniel and others, was organ- 
izing churches and preparing the way for the West Fork 
Association. West of the Brazos, Elders J. S. Allen, W. 
B. Eaves, J. G. Thomas and others, were forming churches, 
soon to be banded together in the Little River Association. 
Two general organizations, that were very soon acting in 
perfect harmony, were sending their agents over the entire 
territory, developing rapidly that unity of faith and prac- 
tice that is till this day the joy of the few of " the old 
guard " that still live. Two such organizations have up to 
this time met the demands of the denomination, notwith- 
standing the Texan territory is so large. The Eastern Con- 
vention ceased to exist, since the war, but the General 
Association has been organized in its stead, and embraces 
a number of churches in Northern Texas, in addition to 
those in the east. As near as I can ascertain at this time, 
with the minutes of all the associations that were then in 
existence before me, the number of Baptists in Texas, in 

341 



O^r^ FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

1854, was about ten thousand. Surely God had wrought 
wonders on this field, in eighteen years, and our joy was 
inexpressible. 

During this year, the " Hero of San Jacinto " appeared 
upon the field again ; not to drive the Mexicans and Indians 
■from the soil of his adopted State, but to enroll his name 
among the believers in Christ and lend his influence in ex- 
tending the conquests of religion. In November, 1854, he 
presented himself as a candidate for baptism to the church 
at Independence, and after a few simple statements as to 
the change God had wrought in his heart, he was approved 
by the church as a proper subject for baptism. On the 
nineteenth day of the same month, he was buried in bap- 
tism by Elder R. C. Burleson, the pastor of the church. It 
was his delight afterwards to attend our general meetings, 
whenever his official duties would permit, and give the 
benefit of his counsel to his brethren in the mission and 
educational enterprises of the denomination. His speech 
on one occasion before the Baptist State Convention on the 
Indian mission was one of the masterly efforts of his life, 
and did ample justice to his reputation as an orator. 

He remained a consistent member of the church* until his 
death, in the town of Huntsville, on the twenty-sixth of 
July, 1863. It was ni}^ privilege to visit him a few days 
previous to his death. Calmly and deliberately he spoke of 
the passage he was about to take across the river, and ex- 
pressed the strongest confidence in Christ. Thus General 
Sam. Houston passed away, whose memory so many of us 
love to cherish. 

So soon as the clouds of winter passed awajr, and the 
warm san of 1855 caused vegetation on Texas hill and 
prairie to manifest its life again, the " Sun of Righteous- 



EEVIVALS. 843 

ness " began to warm in an unusual manner the hearts of 
his people in this latitude. Evidences of a revival spirit 
were manifest in the early part of the season, and as the 
summer came on and September drew near, showers 
of grace from the clouds of mercy that hung around the 
merc3'-seat of the upper sanctuar}^ fell copiously upon our 
Master's vine3"ard, and a glorious harvest was the result. 
From all quarters glad tidings came that souls were born to 
God. The Lord specially showed his power and willingness 
to save wherever the gospel was preached on fields formerly 
destitute of the word of life. 

When the Trinity River Association met in September 
with the Little River church in Milam County, thirteen new 
churches petitioned for membership and were received. 
The revival spirit pervaded the whole body during the en- 
tire session, and for a week after the association adjourned 
the people of that community continued to wait on the 
Lord with abundant manifestations of his presence to save 
sinners. 

This was one of those dry seasons that in j^ears past 
visited this countr}^ Water was so scarce that it was 
necessary either to disappoint the brethren expecting to at- 
tend the meeting, or pitch our tents in another locality. 
Accordingly, the brethren camped at the Block House 
Springs, seven miles from the church edifice, in primitive 
style. This was the beginning of a Baptist camp-meeting. 
Preaching began on Thursday night, and the first service 
was full of interest. Friday the association convened, and 
all through the day the plainest indications w^ere given that 
the Lord was among the jpeople. The committee on preach- 
ing did not stop to go through the whole list of preachers 
present, and, lest they might hurt somebody's feelings, 



344 FL0WEB8 AND FRUITS, 

make arrangements to give every man a chance ; nor did 
they take into consideration the fact that if some of the more 
prominent brethren were put forward at the beginning, or 
not invited to preach at times when the congregations would 
be larger than others, they might go away dissatisfied. The 
only question seemed to be, to find the man whose heart 
was full of the Spirit of God, and the most likely to effect, 
under God, the greatest amount of good. 

Elder E. C. Burleson was chosen as the man for Friday 
night. Selecting his text from the book of Numbers, he 
read with emphasis, " And be sure your sin will find you 
out." My opinion is that he has seldom in life excelled 
that sermon. Sin was held up to the gazing audience, de- 
ceiving first its votaries, then causing its subjects to openly 
violate, step by step, both the laws of man and God. The 
judgments of God, that will certainly be measured out to 
evil-doers, thereby showing that " the way of the trans- 
gressor is hard," were so forcibl}^ presented, that sinners 
cried for mercy and fled to Christ for deliverance. 

The association adjourned on Tuesday, and on the fol- 
lowing day more than thirty persons had been buried in 
baptism. Every one who had given public demonstration 
of a decided interest professed conversion and was bap- 
tized. Under these circumstances, the writer delivered 
a farewell address, supposing that it was the mind of the 
Spirit to close the meeting. Earnest solicitations were now 
sent to continue the services, and at night a large number 
of persons came in from a distance. After the sermon,, 
about thirty-five of these new-comers presented themselves 
as penitents, inquiring the way of life. Services were con- 
tinued until the following Monday, and in all sixty-four per- 
sons were baptized. 



REVIVALS. 345 

On the twelfth of October, representatives from twelve 
churches, with three hundred members, met in convention 
with the church at Birdville, Tarrant County, and organized, 
the West Fork Association, with Elder N. T. Bj-ars moder- 
ator. Eight ordained ministers took part in the work. 
Two years later, when this body met with the Little Bethel 
church, Dallas County, in 1857, there were twenty-one 
churches, with six hundred and thirty-three members. 

Along Little E,iver and its tributaries, in the Counties of 
Bell, Williamson, Milam, and Burleson, there w£is a body 
of earnest, working Baptists. Among these Elder W. B. 
Eaves was justly entitled to the pre-eminence as a revivalist. 
He had previously been ordained by request of the old 
Providence church, Burleson County. He was from Ala- 
bama, and, like many others, a real Jonah, tried to avoid a 
work that the Lord intended he should do. For a number 
of _years, in the old State, his mind was exercised with ref- 
erence to the ministr}^ He was ordained deacon, but even 
refused to offer public pra3'er lest he might be induced to 
exercise further his gift. Fiuallj^ he moved to Texas, hop- 
ing in a new countr}^ to relieve his mind of the burden. 

Shortly after his arrival, he spent a night at my house in 
search of land, his church letter still in his trunk. Before 
retiring I asked him to read a chapter and pra}^, having 
learned from his associates that he was a Baptist deacon. 
Having never done such a thing out of his own familj^, he 
begged to be excused. But it never was mj^ habit to allow 
such men to kick out of the traces, and I pressed him into 
service. As he read and sang and prayed, his voice trem- 
bled ; but behind the embarrassment I clearl}^ saw that his 
soul was burdened under a sense of dut}' left undone. 
Before parting next morning, I sought a private interview, 



346 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

and declared to him -the inapressions upon my mind. His 
convictions were now intensified, and coming under the 
leadership of old Deacon Pruitt, he was soon in the midst 
of a revival that developed his gifts. 

Along both sides of the Brazos River, north of Washing- 
ton and Grimes Counties, as far up as Waco, the voice of 
this man was heard for many years, calling sinners to 
repentance. He served both as pastor and missionary, and 
but few men were more successful. For the past five years, 
in consequence of his shattered health and poverty, he has 
devoted much of his time to secular pursuits. During the 
past year, while out boring wells during the day, not far 
from the city of Bryan, he preached at night, and baptized 
about sixty in one community. 

The Little River Association was organized in the town 
of Cameron, Milam County, on the ninth of November, 
1855. Eleven churches were represented, with a member- 
ship of five hundred and sixty-five. Four ordained and six 
licentiate ministers were members of this bodj^ Deep and 
earnest piety pervaded this brotherhood, and in answer to 
prayer the Lord not only saved sinners, but manifested his 
Spirit in firing the hearts of the rising membership with 
great devotion and activity. God has given to these 
churches a large number of young preachers. The minutes 
of no association shows so many licentiate preachers in the 
beginning. Four out of six of the licentiates of the first 
session had passed to ordination at the second meeting, and 
still the number of licentiates was six. Year after j^ear 
these gifts continued to be bestowed upon the churches. 
This of itself speaks volumes to the praise of the churches 
of that section. 

Elder J. G. Thomas was the moderator of the first and 



REVIVALS. 347 

second sessions. Elder J. S. Allen, who appears as a licen- 
tiate in 1855, was in 1856 an ordained preacher, and pas- 
tor of the Prospect church, Burleson County. Long and 
faithfully did he serve that church and others, and has ren- 
dered much valuable service as a missionary on that field. 

At the fifth session, in 1859, held with Elm Grove 
church, Williamson County, with Elder B. Carroll, moder- 
ator, there were seventeen churches, with one thousand and 
thirty-seven members. In 1857 the name of Elder M. 
Cole appears among the active pastors in this body. He 
was a bold and earnest defender of the faith, a useful 
pastor, and a man of great personal piety. Toward the 
close of his life he toiled in the midst of much phj^sical 
suffering, and recently died in the triumphs of faith and 
love. As so many of our preachers have passed and are 
passing away, we need more such working and praying 
associations to ask the Lord of the harvest for more 
laborers. 

In November, 1856, while passing through the territory 
of this association, on my way from Independence, I was 
called upon to assist in the ordination of Elder T. M. 
Anderson. He was by birth a South Carolinian, and in 
1849 moved to Texas and settled in Washington County. 
His membership was in the Mount Gilead church, and by 
this body he was licensed to preach in 1850. The church 
at Rock}^, Burleson County, appointed the second day of 
November, 1856, for his ordination, and the presbytery 
consisted of Elders David, Fisher, R. Howard, J. G. 
Thomas, John Clabaugh, and Z. N. Morrell. 

On our arrival at the place some of the ministers were 
in favor of proceeding at once with the ordination. The 
minds of others were not so clear as to the propriety of this 



848 ' FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

course, and insisted that tlie candidate should preach. 
We may catechise men, and find out very soon whether or 
not they are sound in the faith, but we must hear men 
preach before we can decide with certainty that they are 
" apt to teach." He readily consented, and preached 
a short, clear and scriptural sermon. We then proceeded 
to examine his qualifications for the sacred office, and in 
a concise manner he stated what he believed, and gave 
scriptural reasons. All being perfectly satisfied, our hands 
were laid upon him, while prayer went up to God that he 
might be a faithful minister of the New Testament. lie 
has been a good and true man, and still toils on in the 
sacred calling. 

One of the members of this presbytery, Elder R. How- 
ard, sleeps in Christ. At the time of the ordination 
alluded to he had been but a short time in Texas. He 
was from Georgia, and being full of the mission spirit, he 
pressed his way to the frontier, and to the destitute cried, 
"Behold the Lamb of God ! " While a man of ability, as a 
preacher, that which commends him most is the fact that 
he sought not'ease, but sacrifice for Christ. 

A large German population had been steadily flowing 
into the country and settling principally in the western 
part of the State. Our hearts yearned for their salvation, 
and yet every avenue of approach appeared to be ob- 
structed. In the town of Independence, a rude German 
boy kept a cake and beer stand, selling sometimes that 
which fires the brain to conceive and execute wielded deeds. 
In order to pass awa}^ dull hours, and at the same time to 
find something to amuse his active mind, he visited the 
Baptist meeting in progress, with a view of making sport, 
havinor been raised a Catholic. He was anxious to be- 



REVIVALS. 319 

corae familiar with the English language, and thought that 
while amusing himself at the meeting he could be learning 
the language of the preacher. He could understand but 
little that the preacher said ; but the speaker's earnestness 
and the deep feeling manifested by the audience were so 
different from anything he had ever seen or heard before, 
that strange and unaccountable impressions were made 
upon his mind. 

He continued his attendance at the sanctuary, thinking 
each time he went he would go no more. When the bell 
rang again, again he felt impelled to go, and soon found 
himself wishing he could believe and feel as the members 
of that church did. He was then under the dealings of the 
Spirit of God, but comprehended it not. Finall}^ G-od led 
him to repentance and faith in the world's Redeemer, and 
Frank Kiefer was baptized. His avocation was given up, 
and clear evidence appeared that he Was a chosen vessel to 
bear the name of Jesus among his people. 

He was licensed to preach in 1856, and after having spent 
some time as a beneficiary in Baylor Universit}^, was or- 
dained to the ministr}^ in 1858. He could now preach in 
both languages, and Avas appointed missionary by the Bap- 
tist State Convention. Slowly but steadilj^ God enabled 
him to gain the attention of the Germans, and a church 
composed of this people was organized on Mill Creek, in 
Washington Count}^, known as Ebenezer. According to 
the minutes of 1871 that church numbers one hundred and 
thirtj^-one members, supports a pastor for his whole time, 
and pays liberally to the mission cause. Another church at 
Cedar Hill, in the same county, composed of Germans, has 
been organized, and each body has a good house of worship. 
Besides these, there are scattering Baptists in many parts of 



350 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

Texas, of German descent, that will ere long we hope be 
sufficiently numerous to have church organizations and 
preaching in their own native tongue. 

Elder Kiefer no longer labors alone. Elder F. J. Grleiss 
had long labored as a preacher in Methodist ranks. In the 
providence of God they were thrown together, and after 
faithfully comparing their views with the word of God as 
their guide, Elder Gleiss recognized the Baptists as the peo- 
ple holding the true doctrines and ordinances of the gospel, 
and was baptized. Since his baptism he has been the pas- 
tor of the Ebenezer church, and works with all his might on 
that field. He is a man of strong mental powers, and dis- 
plays ability as a pastor second to but few in Texas. 

Two years ago Elder F. Heisig came to Texas, leaving 
the pastorate of a German congregation in London, Eng- 
land, and has since been giving to the German mission the 
benefits of his talents and energies. As a Baptist, he makes 
no compromise with error. He is in possession of a clear 
and discriminating mind, has enjoyed the benefits of a 
thorough education, and is eminently qualified to oppose 
those systems of error that have taken such a deep hold 
upon the German mind. He is under the patronage of the 
mission board of Union Association, and while he preaches 
with great power in his native tongue, preaches also accept- 
ably in English. 

In addition to this noble trio is Elder C. M. Hornburg, 
the pastor at Cedar Hill. There are, in addition, several 
pious young men qualifying themselves to enter this work. 
Elder Kiefer still toils on as a faithful missionary, beloved 
by the people, speaking both tongues, and is, in addition to 
his work as a preacher, scattering a large amount of Baptist 
literature among the people. He is possessed of a large 



REVIVALS. 351 

stock of common sense, and, being blessed with a liberal 
education, is well adapted to the position he occupies. In 
view of the rapid emigration from "Germany to Texas, the 
lovers of a pure gospel should lend all the sympathy and 
aid in their power to these men toiling for the salvation of 
a people so hard to reach, and who, when brought to the 
knowledge of the truth, make such earnest workers in the 
vineyard of our Lord. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

SKETCHES. 1857 TO 1867. 

yo^'ROM 1857 till 1861 so many were at work and 
^1 ' so much was done, that it is a difficult task to 
r\i?j pursue further the plan adopted in the former 
^^"^ part of the book. A nobler body of private 
members and a more earnest and efficient band of preach- 
ers have seldom appeared on any field than the Baptists 
had in Texas during that period. The increase in our 
numbers since is clear evidence of the truthfulness of the 
statement. 

On the first day of November, 1857, I was called on to 
part with my last child. A. H. Morrell, of whom notice has 
been given in the preceding chapters, fell asleep in Christ 
on that day. Four children were given me, and four were 
taken away, and their mother ; and still God has permitted 
me to survive them all for fifteen years. My name has 
since appeared in the reports from the patent office of the 
United States as having received four patents. These 
rights to inventions were taken out, according to the 
request made by my son on a dying-bed, and were the 
results that followed the experiments before alluded to, with 
ploughs and harrow following after wheels. Misfortune, 
and the condition of the country in consequence of the 
war, prevented me from realizing anything from tliem. 

During this same year I was present at the organization 
352 



SKETCHES. 353 

of the Austin Association, with the church in the cit}- of 
Austin. Thirteen churches were represented. Hon. E. D. 
Townes was the first moderator. Among the many breth- 
ren in the ministr}", and among the laity, of piety and 
intelligence, I met Elder A. W. Eliedge, according to my 
recollection, for the first time. 

He came to Texas a few 3'ears previous to this, and in 
1854 and 1855 his name appears as one of the missiou- 
aries of the Baptist State Convention. While serving in 
this capacit}^ the Lord blessed him with much success. 
In 1857 he was in charge of three churches, Barton's 
Creek, "Walnut Creek, and Bethlehem. His ministry has 
been confined to middle and western Texas ; and wherever 
he has labored, saints and sinners all remember him ; but 
especiall}' has he made an impression upon that class of 
men who take pleasure in opposing Baptist principles, and 
who in their haste are sometimes guilty of misrepresenta- 
tion. Such men on his field are never allowed to pass 
without rebuke. Girding himself with truth, and possessed 
of the same sphit that moved Paul when he " fought with 
beasts of Ephesus," he shows such men no quarters. 
While he abstains in his ordinary ministry from all 
unfriendly attacks on other people, his lion-like boldness is 
proverbial when the defence of the principles he holds so 
sacred becomes a necessity. 

His mind leads him to do mission work, and in this 
field his soul is happ}', while his masterly native intellect 
grasps the word of life and points the trembling sinner to 
Calvary. While serving as missionary in the State of 
Mississippi, he baptized more than a thousand persons, 
and his name is sacred to many in Texas, by reason of 
their submission to baptism at his hands. The last sermon 



354 FLOWBRS AND FRUITS, 

I beard liira preach was in August, 1871, at the close of 
the revival at Eautaw, in Limestone Count}' , from the words, 
''The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not 
saved." His clear understanding of the word of God, and 
his earnest zeal in that effort, revealed the great secret of 
his power as a preacher. He still lives and labors as 
missionary in Waco Association. 

Representatives from thirteen churches, with a total mem- 
bership of five hundred and thirt}^ met with the Mount Zion 
church, E,usk County, on the thirtieth of October, 1857, 
and formed the Mount Zion Association. Six ordained 
and six licentiate ministers were members of this body, 
with Elder J. H. Rowland moderator. 

The year 1858 was one of harmonious activity and prog- 
ress among our people. Five new associations sprung into 
existence. Four of them — Richland, Leon River, Brazos 
River, and San Marcos — were west of the Trinity River ; 
while a fifth, Tryon, — named after him who in an early day 
did so much to give the Baptist cause position in the public 
mind, — was composed of churches on both sides of the river. 
The aggregate number of members that formed these bodies 
was two thousand five hundred and thirty. 

I was present and took part in two of these organizations, 
Richland and Leon River. Great destitution had prevailed 
in the counties of Bell, Williamson and Coryell, until the 
voices of Elders John Clabaugh and John McClain declared 
the way of salvation to the people. Both of these were 
earnest men, and men of God. They were well adapted to 
such a field, and the people heard them gladly. Possessed 
largely of the spirit of Christ, they were willing to v/ork, 
and their labor was of that effective kind that moves and 



SKETCHES. 6 'JO 

induces the multitude to feel that " Jesus of Nazareth 
passeth by." 

As the reader will remember, in an early day I travelled 
much over that beautiful country that lies between the 
Colorado and Guadalupe Rivers, south and west of the city 
of Austin. Dangers then hung around our path at. every 
step, and anxiously did we inquire " how long" until the 
savage would pass out, and school-houses and church 
edifices would be erected, whose bells would sound the 
funeral knell of Mexican and Indian depredations. After 
light began to dawn upon our dark sky and the campaign 
of 1842 ended, it only required sixteen years to afford a 
sufficient population to give the Baptists strength enough 
in the Colorado Association to spare seventeen churches 
to form the San Marcos Association in November, 1858. 
Eight nobly have the brethren in that territory done the 
work assigned them b}^ the Master. 

Elder J. V. E. Covey appeared among the ministers and 
educators on that field. He came to Texas in 1853, and 
settled east of the Trinity, in the town of Palestine. For 
about tv/o 3^ears he taught a ver}^ flourishing school at that 
point, and in the mean time served as pastor of the church 
there, and at other points in the same couut}^ A large 
body of young men received tuition from him wliile at 
Palestine, and some of them have made their mark in the 
learned professions since. His ability to inspire young men 
with energ}' aud noble aspirations, and at the same time 
to maintain a firm discipline, is a combination of talent 
that must always give him success as a teacher. "While he 
was able to do much in the east to encourage the spirit of 
missions and the cause of education, his mind led him west, 
and his name appears among the ministers of the Colorado 



356 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

Associatioii, in 1856. He preached and taught for several 
years in Lavacca County, and afterwards went to Concrete, 
in Dewitt County, near the Guadalupe River, where he has 
for several years conducted one of the best schools in the 
west. His influence upon the Baptist cause, and over a 
large number of the rising men and women in Texas, will 
be felt long after he has passed away. 

Casting my eye over the recent records made by Baptists 
in the west, it affords me much pleasure to see the names 
of such men as Elders Pinkney Harris and H. M. Bur- 
roughs in charge of strong churches on the Colorado and 
Guadalupe, where once a few of us worshipped with carnal 
w^eapons buckled on, ready for action when the guard, with 
Texas rifles, gave the signal that the enemy was at hand. 

Elder Burroughs, although for several years deeply im- 
pressed by the Spirit of God that it was his duty to preach, 
was naturally timid and troubled with misgivings. The 
date at which he entered upon an active ministry I cannot 
give. His name appears in 1866 as pastor at San Marcos 
and Seguin. Along tiie valle3^of the Guadalupe he has done 
much since to develop personal piety in the churches, and 
has been effective, by his mild, persuasive address, in win- 
ning souls to Christ. His meekness, earnest piety, and 
plainness of speech constitute the elements of his strength 
as a preacher. 

Elder Harris is the present efficient pastor of the church 
at Plum Grove, on the Colorado, that was organized thirty- 
three years ago. Under his ministry the church has been 
active and greatly strengthened. He is a graduate of Ba^^- 
lor University, having remained for some time under the 
tuition of R. C. Burleson, during the time he was in charge 
of the insutution. He was ordained while a member of the 



SKETCHES. 357 

church at Indepeudeuce, in 1860. Although he is at times 
troubled with a little impedimeut in his speech, when thor- 
oughly aroused his thoughts burn and his words cut. A 
man of strong impulses, he feels deeply and speaks boldly. 
Such men rarel}^ fail, if once subdued by the Spirit of God, 
to make deep impressions upon the public mind. With a 
strong native intellect, invigorated by much earnest thought, 
he delights to wrestle with the profound truths of the Bible, 
and then in his sermons becomes deeply moved as he sees 
Christians feeding upon the strong meat of the gospel. 

Much of his time has been spent in teaching, and in 
attempting so long to do the work of two men, he is old 
while he is j^oung. He has succeeded well as a teacher, and 
along the valley of the Colorado, from Austin to Lagrange, 
where most of his preaching has been done, he has made a 
deep impression by his earnest ministry. 

Those who spent the years 1859 and 1860 in Texas 
will never forget the fearful drought and withering heat of 
those seasons. The atmosphere, at one time, felt very much 
as though it had issued from an oven. The corn withered 
before the time for maturity, and the ear so fondly looked 
for by the husbandman did not make its appearance on 
many fields, leaving the laborer dependent on other people 
for his bread. The cotton bowed its head and lost its 
power to retain the form that develops the snowy lint from 
which much of our clothing is manufactured. The Lord 
did not speak to us with an audible voice, but, by the mani- 
festations of his power to give rain or withhold it, he 
seemed to say, " The heaven that is over thy head shall be 
brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron." The 
lov/ing herds on our beautiful prairies were, in many 
instances, driven a great distance to some of our rivers that 



358 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

continued to flow, and many a cow and sheep and horse 
wandered in search of water, with no herdsman to point out 
the way, and perished. 

We did not then understand it, but to many of our minds 
since the reason is apparent, that the mildew on the grain, 
the fiilling of the cotton leaf, and the fearful indications of 
famine that made many a stout heart tremble, were merci- 
ful dispensations of Providence that prepared us for the 
darker days of war that were nigh at hand. The political 
sky was even then already dark, and muttering thunders 
of the coming storm rolled across the heavens. 

Many grew desperate and had not God in all their 
thoughts, while the more pious sought the Lord by prayer 
for refreshing from his presence. Showers of grace fell on 
many localities, from a praj^er-answering God, and many 
churches were greatly strengthened and increased in num- 
ber. 

During this time Elder F. M. Law made his appearance 
in Texas. I think he came, in 1859, from the State of Ala- 
bama. He settled in Washington County, and for some 
time had the care of the churches at Brenham and Provi- 
dence. In the spring of 1860 I first met him, and was at 
once impressed with the fact that he was a man of sound 
judgment, and an earnest, working pastor. An intimate 
acquaintance with the man and his work since has intensi- 
fied the impressions I then received. 

He settled as pastor at Plantersville, about the beginning 
of the war, and during the struggle rendered some efficient 
service as missionary among the soldiers. He labored at 
Plantersville and Houston until the fall of 1867, and early 
in 1868 assumed the leadership of the Baptist congregation 
in the city of Bryan. Being at that time the terminus of 



i 



SKETCHES. 359 

the Texas Central Eailroad, he had a fine opportunity to 
develop his ability to ralty scattered forces, and build up an 
interest in the midst of many dilfficulties. He was, how- 
ever, the right man in the right place. The church has 
steadilj^ grown under his ministry, and his faithfulness as 
pastor has gathered about him and maintained a constantly 
increasing affection and confidence on the part of his peo- 
ple, until the present time. But few better pastors are 
found in any countrj^ In person he is of medium height, 
and with an apparently delicate structure. He is wonder- 
fully gifted with ability to influence and control the actions 
of men. 

In the pulpit he seldom rides in balloons, and has better 
sense than to attempt to wade in waters where the mightiest 
men sometimes get strangled. While eminently sound in 
the great doctrines that have ever distinguished Baptists 
from other people, his preaching is plain and practical. 
Strangers are sometimes slightly repulsed when he knits 
his brow under the pressure of deep and concentrated 
thought; but his people, who know him well, understand 
that it is an indication of that deep earnestness that has fired 
their hearts on so many occasions to labor and sacrifice. 
Our educational and mission enterprises find in him an ear- 
nest advocate. 

. It was my privilege to be present and take part in the 
organization of the Waco Association in November, 1860. 
Eepresentatives from nine churches, with a total ntember- 
ship of five hundred and forty-one, met with the church in 
the city of Waco. At the first session, the Waco Classi- 
cal School — since known as Waco Universit}^ — came 
under the patronage of this body. The first clerk of the 



360 FLOWERS AND FRUITS, 

association, Brother J. W. Speight, was, and has continued, 
president of the board of trustees of this institution. 

His indomitable energy put forth in the erection of build- 
ings and providing accommodations for the school has but 
few parallels. Fail of the spirit of enterprise, an ardent 
friend of education, and in faA^or of a strict construction 
of the great constitution that Baptists have sworn to 
support, he is, and has been, a man of extensive use- 
fulness. He is a lawyer of acknowledged abilitj^ and, as 
is characteristic of men in that profession, is willing to 
discuss and ventilate all questions containing vital prin- 
ciples which come before our general convocations. In 
the midst of these discussions, brethren that don't visit 
the courts often would imagine he was angry. And 
many a pious lawyer has sufiered in reputation at the 
hands of his brethren. At the bar, where heated debates 
are of dailj'^ occurrence for weeks, and sometimes months, 
swords are whetted so sharp that they often cut una- 
wares. In consequence of this fact brethren should not 
be unreasonably sensitive toward our friends who practise 
at the bar, and these brethren, on the other hand, should 
carefully guard their hinguage in our general meetings ; and 
by these efforts, avoiding sensitiveness on the one hand and 
undue sharpness on the other, " the unity of the spirit in 
the bonds of peace " may always be preserved. 

It has been my lot to cross swords with brother Speight 
on more fields than one, but knowing that he was a good 
and true man, and he knowing at the same time the impul- 
siveness of my nature, sharp words and remarks that 
appear to be personal are laid by both of us at the foot of 
the cross, and affection and confidence burn the warmer 
upon our hearts. 



SKETCHES. ' 361 

Intelligent and active brethren, full of zeal and enter- 
prise, have been the moving, leading spirits in this body 
since its formation. Elder N. W. Grain, who came to Texas 
at an early day, when quite young, and who had long been 
in eastern Texas, was one of the ministers present at the 
first meeting, and was the pastor of the Church at Bosque 
at the time. Only a few years previous to this he entered 
the ministry and moved into the vicinity of Waco. With 
a strong mind and a liberal education, backed up by a vig- 
orous constitution, he possessed the elements of usefulness, 
and delighted to labor among the people at large. He is 
on that field still, and the pastor of the church in East 
Waco. When I first met him he was a man of large means, 
financially, and while his steps have been so ordered as- to 
deprive him of a large amount of this world's goods, my 
last interview with him convinced me that he had grown in 
grace and knowledge, and with the blessing of God was 
entering a state of more extensive usefulness than he had 
ever enjoyed in the past. 

While this body has estimated highly the cause of educa- 
tion, they have been earnest in their endeavors to advance 
the mission cause, and have ever manifested a willingness 
to compensate liberally those who serve them on the mis- 
sion field. During the past year Elder W. W. Harris served 
them with a liberal support. 

He and Elder Pinkney Harris were ordained on the same 
day at Independence, in 1860. His name appears in the 
minutes of the San Marcos Association in 1861, as pastor 
at Bastrop and Hill's Prairie. He was educated at Baylor 
University, under the tuition of Elder R. C. Burleson, and 
has devoted himself exclusively to the ministry, in western 
and northern Texas. His powers developed rapidly in his 



362 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

early ministry, and the fame of the young man was soon 
coextensive with the Baptists of Texas. From the very 
commencement he proved himself a man of genius. His 
descriptive powers were^f high order, and chaste hinguage 
flowed from his lips without the least apparent effort. 

Soon thoughtless brethren joined the name of the great 
preacher in London to his, and he was spoken of as " Spur- 
geon Harris." Many brethren, at a distance, only knew 
him by this appellation. Such things I have ever consid- 
ered in bad taste and opposed to the spirit of Christianity. 
While many a young man has been sadly injured by these 
flatteries, brother Harris pursued the even tenor of his way, 
and has rendered most valuable and effective service on 
many fields. The grace of God, be it said to his glory, has 
been sufficient. 

He is a man of eccentricities, — by no means intention- 
ally so, — and right in connection with these deviations 
from the usual customs of men are sometimes flights of 
oratory that cause the brain to reel while in pursuit of the 
speaker's train of burning thoughts, clothed in language 
that nothing but the most vivid imagination could invent 
for the occasion. 

Under the pressure of great labor, frequently holding 
meetings of weeks' duration in different localities, he is 
prematurely growing old. His burning appeals have rung 
in many ears, and through him, as an instrument in the 
hands of God, many souls have been turned to righteous- 
ness. 

Only a few months ago I was permitted to pass along the 
streets of the beautiful city of Waco, with its thousands of 
inhabitants, its splendid rows of costly buildings, its mag- 
nificent bridge that spans the Brazos River, the large build- 



SKETCHES. 3G3 

ings, in addition, that furnish the rising generation and their 
teachers the facilities for receiving and imparting Irnowledge, 
and was happy to see that in -the midst of all this enterprise 
a pure gospel was still upheld by an efficient body of Bap- 
tists on the same spot where Elder N. T. Byars, so many 
years ago, in the name of God, organized a feeble church, 
and where the Waco Association was formed in 1860. Elder 
H. Carrol, the rising man in the Texas ministry, is a member 
of that church and association, and is, and has been for 
some time past, the pastor of the Waco congregation. He, 
too, is a graduate, having received tuition from Elders R. C. 
and R. B. Burleson, who have educated so many Texas 
preachers. His ministry has been short, commencing only 
a few years since, in Burleson County, in the bounds of the 
Little River Association. He is possessed of an active, in- 
quiring mind, and has enjoyed, in point of education, the 
best facilities that Texas could afford. God has honored 
him with much usefulness in a short space of time. 

Tall in person, and commanding in manner, he takes bold 
positions as a preacher, and is destined by the blessing of 
God, with patient toil, to do valiant service on the battle- 
ground of truth. Long live the young and rising preachers 
in Texas, after the soldiers of the old guard sleep in the 
dust ! 

The San Antonio Association was organized in 1860, but 
the minutes of none of its early sessions are before me. 
This is our extreme western organization. 

Dark were the clouds, and fearful as dark, that hung 
over the churches in 1861, when the sound of war was heard. 
My heart grows sick at the thought of pursuing my inves- 
tigations during the four years that followed, and Heave the 
record for others to make. 



364 FLOWERS AND JTRUITS, 

In the spring of 1865 the smoke of battle was brushed 
away, the "confused noise" of war was hushed, and 
" garments rolled in blood " were lain aside. Having 
been so stupefied by long and active sjanpathy with the 
suffering and the bereaved, some of us could scarcely 
realize what an ordeal had been passed through. Emerging 
from the waves that had been sweeping over us, the strong- 
est evidences at once appeared that the Baptists, in their 
organization, were according to the divine plan. Among 
them, as a people, these is no great centralized power, in 
pope, in ruling bishops over large territories, or hi councils, 
that assume the right to make laws and dictate the manner of 
their execution. EA^ery church is a separate and indepen- 
dent republic, or rather a theocracy, — knowing no head but 
Christ, and recognizing no laws save those instituted by 
him. With this fundamental idea, founded upon the word 
of God, that every church is a sovereign body and indepen- 
dent of every other church, and* that every ordained minis- 
ter is a scriptural bishop, and independent of every other 
bishop, this people has lived, and can live, under all forms 
of government, and pass through any kind of human revo- 
lutions'J and maintain their unity and organization. With 
"one Lord, one faith, and one baptism," written as our 
motto, we may, like the king of Israel, say, that " in the 
name of our God we will set up our banners " with confi- 
dence in the promise made by Christ, as the " Chief Shep- 
herd" and " Captain of our salvation," who is the head of 
the true church, and against which, according to his declara- 
tion, " the gates of hell shall not prevail." 

The churches maintained their organizations well, and 
many were largely increased numerically. In point of 
number, in my opinion, we had not lost, but gained, not- 



SKETCHES. 365 

withstancliug the many that were lost by death in the war. 
Ralljdng our forces in our general organizations again, a 
noble band appeared read}^ for work, with onl}^ here and 
there a brother, and in a few instances a minister, whose 
strength had not been suflScient for the temptations and 
trials incident to that terrible period. 

A large number of brethren from other States had been 
cast among us, and with these came some excellent minis- 
ters. Elder Wm. Carey Crane, a Virginian by birth and 
education, and who had labored long and effectively in 
Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana, came to Texas in the 
fall of 1863, in answer to a call from the trustees of Baylor 
University, and took charge as president of the institution. 
He remains at that post still, with prospects of future 
success, and has under his tuition seven promising young 
ministers preparing themselves for intelligent and active 
service in the Christian ministry. 

As a scholar, Elder Crane has but few equals ; and 
superiors are very scarce. His conversation, his literary 
addresses, and his sermons all show that he is not only a 
profound scholar, but that he has always been a student, 
and is a student still. His mental discipline has been of 
the most rigid character. In person he is of medium 
height, with compact form inclined to corpulency. He has 
a vigorous constitution, and but few men are able to do the 
amount of work he does. 

When I first saw him I thought his manner was some- 
what haughty and stiff. Each time I met him afterwards, 
I saw more plainly my mistake. I can now say, 'that a 
more social, kind and loving spirit it has rarely been my 
lot in life to meet. His kind consideration and affection- 
ate demeanor toward his brethren in the ministry, who are 



366 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

Ms inferiors in point of education, I do think worthy of 
imitation. 

.His power as a preacher, when folly in the spirit of his 
great Master, can only be understood and appreciated by 
those who have heard him when he was moved and stirred 
by the soul-inspiring, experimental truths of the gospel. 
Under the pressure of all the duties of a college president, 
he preaches regularly, and to his ministry devotes much 
thought. He is doing a noble work for the churches and 
the cause of education. 

Elder J. B. Link, who went out from Missouri with the 
army and served among the soldiers during the war as a 
minister, was in Texas at the time of the surrender, looking 
after the army mission work under the appointment of the 
Domestic Mission Board. Seeing the vast resources of 
this great State and the Baptist strength to be developed, 
he conceived the idea of starting a denominational State 
paper. A few brethren of intelligence and enterprise 
encouraged the undertaking, and about the close of 1865 
he issued the first number of the Texas "Baptist Herald,'* 
from the city of Houston. 

He was entirely without means, as was many a man who 
has served with the army. Traversing a large part of the 
State, he made many friends to the enterprise that he so 
fondly and resolutely cherished. Facilities at that time 
for travelling through the State were by no means good. 
When he could not conveniently get a horse, he walked 
from one locality to another, and by his prudent course, 
sound sense, and indomitable perseverance, he convinced 
the Baptists that he meant work as a means of success. 
Such men rarely fail to get help if they need it. His case 
was not an exception. Capital was soon furnished to start 



SKETCHES. 3G7 

the entei-prise. His ability as a financier was soon appar- 
ent. Economy was' most rigidl}^ practised. His dress, as 
many of us remember, was very plain, consisting for 
some time in part of that he had worn in the army. All 
praise to the Texas people. No man has ever come 
among us since 1835, if he had personal .merit, who failed 
to be appreciated, even if he appeared to be "a poor man 
in vile raiment." He labored hard, and after his day's 
work was done his bed at night was a pile of carpenter's 
shavings in the corner of his office, and his covering his 
soldier blanket. His very life-blood was thro\Tn into the 
paper, and as that valuable sheet goes in many instances 
where the author of this volume never expects the book to 
be seen, it is not necessary to dwell upon its merit. 
During these j'ears past the paper has done a great work 
in developing Baptist principles and in organizing Baptist 
strength. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

THE LAST TRIP OF A PIONEER. 1868. 

(3^r^00K on the map of the "Western Continent, and 
among the States of Central America j^ou will find 
a territory known as British Honduras, nine hun- 
dred miles south of New Orleans, bounded on the 
north by Yucatan, on the west and south by Guatemala, 
and on the east by the Bay of Honduras. The length of 
tliis State is two hundred miles from north to sonth ; its 
width at the southern extremity thirty miles, and it is sixty 
miles wide on the north. It^has eighteen navigable streams, 
as far as the tide water extends, and on some of them ves- 
sels may go beyond the tide into the interior of the country. 
It embraces the 16th and 17th parallels of latitude north 
of the equator, with a mild and even temperature. In the 
warmest summer month the thermometer never rises above 
88°, and on the coolest winter day never goes below 60°. 
The people of that country claim the protection of the 
British flag. As the country is owned by the English gov- 
ernment, the laws are written in English, and all the inhab- 
itants speak the English language. 

In the spring of 1867 my attention was called to that 
country, and, after obtaining the facts just recorded, I was 
impressed with the belief that a large number of people 
from the United States, especially from the South, would 
eventually make it their home. Under this impression I 
368 



THE LAST TRIP OF A PIONEEE. 369 

sought the Lord in pra3^er as to m}^ duty in that event. 
During the fall of the same year my mind was made up to 
go, '^ if the Lord will," for the following reasons. 

Thirty-two years of labor, with much, phj^sical suffer- 
ing, in Texas, had brought about a state of debility that 
rendered me entirelj^ unfit for active service as a preiicher. 
In search of a milder climate, I left the snow and ice of 
Tennessee in the winter of 1835, and sought a home in the 
wilderness of Texas. The climate suited me, and I was 
able to prosecute m}^ work as a preacher. Texas northers 
had grown too severe for me, and I felt a disposition to 
seek a clime where snow never falls, and where ice and frost 
are never seen. Honduras presented me this inducement, 
and the improvement of my health was a leading consider- 
ation in the change. 

Information soon reached me that a large number of 
southern families intended and were making arrangements 
to emigrate to Honduras. The heads of these families were 
mostly men of intelligence and enterprise whose estates had 
been destroyed during the late war, and who wished to enter 
a new countrj^ with the view of recuperating their wasted 
fortunes. Among these I was confident would be Baptists, 
who would be greatly in need of a ministry and church or- 
ganization. The Baptists of Texas had been organized, 
and as the principal part of my ministry had been given 
to the destitute, I still felt inclined, in the language of 
Paul, to preach the gospel in the regions be3^ond, and not 
to boast in another man's line of things made ready to 
hand. 

A celebrated character in the E evolutionary war was 
Captain John Hunter, from North Carolina. He afterwards 
turned Baptist preacher, and was strangely impressed by a 



370 



FLOWERS AND FliUITS. 



dream connected with my future history. He was a man 
of great eccentricity, and made strong impressions upon 
the minds and hearts of ahuost all w^hom he met. He was 
an old man in 1823, when I was quite a young preacher. 
So strongly was he impressed with his dream that he came 
some distance to see me in Tennessee, and to communicate 
his impressions. 

He dreamed, and stated as his conviction that it would 
come to pass, that toward the close of an eventful life I 
would cross the great waters and preach the gospel in a 
strange land, and, after remaining there for a while, would 
return to the United States, where my light would gradu- 
ally go out. I often afterwards thought of the earnestness 
with which the old preacher rehearsed it, but had no confi- 
dence in the reality of his prediction. When my mind was 
made up to go to Honduras, I remembered in tears the 
counsel of the old preacher, long passed to his reward, in 
view of the conflicts and trials that he felt confident awaited 
me toward the close of my life. 

The fearful scourge of yellow fever that visited our 
southern cities in the fall of 1867 prevented me from leav- 
ing Texas as early in the season as was desirable. In De- 
cember, reposing my confidence in the God of the whole 
earth, I left Texas, and, after a short delay in the city of 
New Orleans, took r. berth in a vessel that rode the high 
seas between New Orleans and the city of Belize. On 
board I found nearly one hundred passengers going to the 
new country, and among them about a dozen Baptists. 

Just before the ship went to sea I felt impressed to 
preach to the passengers, and although unable to stand 
without a support, I stood with one hand grasping a post 



THE LAST TRIP OF A PIONEER. 371 

in the cabin, and from the following text preached a short 
sermon to an attentive audience : — 

Hebrews xi. 14 : " For they that say such things declare 
plainly that they seek a country." Some of the advan- 
tages of the country to which we had just taken passage 
were used to illustrate the beauties and excellences of the 
land that patriarchs and prophets sought by faith. 

In the month of January, 1868, we were landed in the 
city of Belize, with a population of fifteen or twenty thou- 
sand souls. From June until the first of March is consid- 
ered the '' rainy season," and a large number of the inhab- 
itants of the country who spend the "dry season" in 
getting out timbers, and in planting little crops of various, 
kinds, were at this time in the city. During the dry season 
the population is not more than five or six thousand. 

The population of the whole country known as British 
Honduras was, at that time, supposed to be about thirty 
thousand. Of this number there were about one thousand 
English, one thousand Americans, and the rest natives, — 
negroes, Spaniards and Indians. A large majority of the 
inhabitants are negroes. Among these may be observed 
the same shades of color that mark the colored people of 
our southern States. These people are, as a class, superior 
to the negroes of America, both in physical structure and 
intellectual capacity. A system of education prevails that 
enables nearly all of them to read and write, and, in many 
instances, they give evidence of strong mental powers. 

In no country that I have ever visited are the laws so 
rigidly executed as in Honduras. The natural consequence 
is the cultivation of a high grade of personal honesty 
among the natives. Often was I reminded ,of the great 
contrastj in this respect, between the United Sfates and this 



372 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

part of Central America. Violations of law are rigidly 
ferreted out, and a just punishment inflicted upon the viola- 
tor. Personal honesty is thus cultivated to such an extent 
that the emigrants soon felt inspired with confidence that 
the natives would neither steal nor defraud. In one in- 
stance I was followed by a colored hoy for some distance, 
who returned to me six and a quarter cents that I left at 
the store of a .negro merchant. After I left he discovered 
the mistake I had made in paying for what I had purchased. 
In another instance, one of the passengers who went over 
when I did, being addicted to strong drink, concluded that he 
must have a regular " spree," and, during a fit of intoxica- 
tion, left sixty dollars in silver on the counter of a tailor. 
He and his friends at once gave up all hope of seeing the 
money any more, as he did not even remember w^here he left 
it. Passing the same door, some time afterwards, he was rec- 
ognized, and the raoney returned without even so much as 
having been unrolled. Incidents of a similar character 
frequently occurred^dm*ing our stay in the country. 

We found the Sabbath day rigidly observed by all the 
people. No doors were open, and no business of any char- 
acter, transacted that could possibly be avoided. In the 
city we found two Baptist churches, one Weslej-an Metho- 
dist, one Presbyterian, one Episcopal, and one Catholic. 
Whatever form of religion the people observed, they fol- 
lowed up regularly and earnestly. 

Here I met the venerable Baptist missionary, Alexander 
Henderson. He was about sixty-five years of age, and had 
been in Honduras thirty-five years. He was a native of 
Scotland, and in early life entered the ministry as a Pres- 
byterian. He was educated in his native land, and after- 
wards preached in France. While there he formed the 



i 



THE LAST TRIP OF A PIONEER. 373 

acquaintance of a Baptist preacher, and an intimacy grew 
up between them that led to a free discussion of their 
differences in doctrine and church polity. He was a ripe 
scholar, and, basing his investigations upon the Scriptures 
as the}^ were originally given, decided that the Baptists 
held the ordinances as the}^ were given by Christ, and that 
they observed a scriptural church government. He at once 
became a Baptist, and tendered his services to the English 
Baptist Missionary Society, expressing a willingness to 
serve as a missionary in a foreign land. Under the auspices 
of this society he entered British Honduras, and had given 
his manhood and strength to Christ on that field. Brother 
Henderson held and rigidly defended the views of commun- 
ion as practised by the Baptists of the United States. 

Some differences sprung up between him and another 
missionary, appointed to this field by the same society in 
later years, on the communion question, and rather than 
serve under the patronage of the society who would encour- 
age open communion on the field where he had toiled so 
long, he resigned his commission, and was serving as a 
missionary at his own charges. He is eminently sound in 
the faith of the gospel, and hesitates not to declare, on all 
proper occasions, the principles that have ever distinguished 
Baptists from other people. His congregation in Belize 
supported him liberally, according to their means ; but it 
was necessary for him to spend a small portion of his time 
in secular matters to gain a living for his family. 

As a scholar he was held in high esteem, both in England 
and in Honduras, and he spent a large portion of his time 
in translating the word of God into two foreign tongues. 
The most rigid system in his work and economy in his time 
were maintained. Not an idle hour was spent, and yet just 



374 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

SO much time was given to translation, to his work as a 
pastor, and to his little business, upon which he was com- 
pelled to rely in part for his living. In this way a large 
amount of work was accomplished, for a man of his years. 
Many of our ministers in this country work as hard as 
brother Henderson, and yet accomplish scarcely half as 
much for want of system. 

System is the order of the day in Honduras, among all 
classes of business men. Stores all open at daylight. 
When the city clock strikes nine, every door, by common 
consent, is closed till ten. This is the hour for break- 
fast. When the clock strikes ten every business house 
opens instantly. At four in the afternoon every house is 
closed for the day, and until nine o'clock at night the peo- 
ple all devote themselves to leisure and recreation. Good 
bargains and money-getting will not induce them to violate 
these rules. In consequence of these habits of regularity 
the people are healthy and happy. American business men 
work all day, and, in many instances, a large portion of the 
night, and then are dissatisfied because tired, exhausted 
nature can do no more. No such disposition is manifested 
among that people with whom my lot was cast for many 
months. 

In keeping with the other regularities of the country, the 
old Baptist preacher toils on and wields a healthy and 
happy influence over the inhabitants of his field. The 
writer is largely indebted to him for many kindnesses 
shown a stranger in a strange land, suffering greatly from 
bodily infirmities. Eternity alone can reveal the amount 
of good brother Henderson has accomplished among that 
people. 

In that climate the heat, is very seldom the least oppress- 



THE LAST TRir OF A PIONEER. 375 

ive, and there is never need of fire except for cooking pur- 
poses. Uniform good health prevails among the people, 
and many of them live to a great age for this period of 
human liistory. 

In consequence of the infirmities which I carried with 
me, I was seldom able to visit the interior, for want of 
proper conveyances. The following are some of the obser- 
vations made as opportunities were given me to penetrate 
the country. 

The soil is of three kinds. The larger portion of it is 
chocolate, and very productive. Some of the land is black and 
sticky, ver}^ much resembling the hog-wallow prairies of 
Texas. Besides, there is a large amount of gray sandy 
land, easily cultivated. Representatives from six Southern 
States went over with me, and our decision was, that the 
lands up to the foot of the mountains were equal to any in 
the Red River or Brazos valleys for agricultural purposes. 

None of the common implements of husbandry had been 
carried there, and the crops were planted and cultivated 
under very great disa^dvantages. The undergrowth in the 
land that knows no frost, of course, is very dense. This is 
cut down at the beginning of the dry season, and at the proper 
time is set on fire. The earth, after this burning, is left like 
a plant bed. As soon as the rain begins to fall, a small 
hole is made in the ground with a stick, the seed deposited, 
and covered with the foot. Nearly all of the seeds planted 
in our southern States are grown there, and the tropical 
fruits besides. The soil and climate are admirably adapted 
to sugar. Cotton is not a very reliable crop. The lands I 
saw in cultivation were not ploughed ; and with the bushes 
and weeds cut down, as the only work done, good crops of 



376 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

corn, potatoes and other productions common to this climate 
were returned to the husbandmen. 

In that land the tropical fruits are found in great abun- 
dance. The banana and plantain have been described by 
others, and the fruit in large quantities is transported to our 
shores. But the difference between these fruits and the 
orange of Honduras, plucked full ripe from the tree, and 
those sent us across the waters, is about as great as the dif- 
ference between a fresh ripe melon or peach, and one a week 
old after the stem is broken. The custard apple is one of 
the delicacies of the country, and will not bear transporta- 
tion. It grows on a small tree three or four inches in 
diameter, and some ten or twelve feet high. The tree bears 
mature fruit at the age of three years, very much resem- 
bling the Qgg plant. The apple is about four inches in di- 
ameter, and when fully ripe is in appearance a dark mix- 
ture of red and purple. The skin is as thin as one of our 
common apples, and very tender. The fruit is very soft, 
yielding easily to the pressure of the spoon, and combines 
both sweetness and acidity, that render the taste of the 
most delicious character. No lady in America is skilful 
enough in the art of custard-making to produce a dish 
superior to the custard apple, fully ripe, and fresh from the 
tree. 

One of the most interesting productions of Honduras, to 
the student of the Bible, is the palm-tree, spoken of b}'^ Da- 
vid in the ninety-second Psalm, and in other parts of the 
book of God. Two varieties of this remarkable tree 
arrested my attention, and engaged much thought. One is 
known among the natives as the " cabbage-tree." The bud 
is very much in appearance and taste the same as our com- 
mon cabbage, and is prepared for the table in the same way. 



THE LAST TRIP OF A PIONEER. 377 

This is seldom used, £is it destro3^s the tree and requires 
some kibor to procure it. 

By far the most interesting species of the palm-tree is 
that which bears the cocoanut, which is brought to this 
countr}^, and with which fruit almost every youth is 
familiar. Standing hj this majestic tree, I felt .that I 
was in intimate association with the thoughts of David in 
his touching allusion referred to. The history of the tree 
is as follows : It springs from the cocoanut. This nut 
may be laid in any place, be it ever so dry, and the milk 
that it contains possesses sufficient nutriment to cause the 
sprout to burst the shell and shoot out the single stalk of 
the coming tree. Not a single root has yet made its 
appearance, and in this condition they are sometimes 
carried a hundred miles and planted out in a hole that 
just receives the nut. It grows successfully only near 
salt water. Being carefully covered, it begins to put forth 
very small, fibrous roots, that take strong hold upon the 
earth, while the tree rises month after month all the year 
round to the height of one hundred feet. At the age 
of five years, it has reached the height of ten or twelve 
feet, and begins to bloom right on the top. Eight or ten 
blooms burst out in the form of a circle, and present a 
bright golden appearance. In one month these blooms all 
disappear, and in the place of each one is a small cocoa- 
nut, one inch in diameter. These stems that hold the nut 
right on the end are from one to two feet long, and just 
beneath is a circular row of limbs from ten to twelve feet 
long, full of leaves five or six feet long and six inches 
wide. The limbs are strong and flat on the top, and the 
leaves are cupped in the form of a gutter. As the cocoa- 
nut increases in size and weight, it rests upon these limbs 



378 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

and leaves, causing them to hang over in the form of an 
umbrella. While this is going on, the tree monnts higher 
and forms another circle of limbs and fruit above, ' and 
every month in every year new fruit forms in the top, while 
the old fruit at the bottom is dropping off. No doubt the 
revelator remembered this, when he was instructed to 
write of " the tree of life which bare twelve manner of 
fruits, and yielded her fruit every month." 

The limbs have answered their purpose when the fruit rest- 
ing on them is ripe, and according to the arrangement of the 
God of nature they are disengaged and fall to the ground, 
leaving a scar on the tree as the only damage. These trees 
never quit bearing fruit as long as they live, and hence the 
psalmist says, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm- 
tree. They «hall bring forth fruit in old age." An English 
gentleman pointed out to me some trees that had regu- 
larl3^ yielded their increase for seventy-five years. 

No limbs ever remain on the tree except what are 
necessary to bear up the fruit, and by this I was forcibly 
reminded of the necessity of laying aside all the encum- 
brances of this life that will not help us bear " fruit unto 
holiness." The scars on the tree, every one of which is 
plainly visible while it lives, illustrates to the thinking 
mind the scars the Christian will wear when at the end of 
life's conflicts he receives the palm of victor3\ 

There are no large roots beneath this tree, but a 
million of small fibrous roots permeate the earth in every 
direction for some distance, that serve the double purpose 
of strongly supporting the tree against the winds, and of 
appropriating to the growth of the tree and the matur- 
ing of its fruit all the productive properties of the soil 
near by. Nothing grows near a large palm-tree. So the 



THE LAST TRIP OF A PIONEEB. 379 

Christian's hold upon the earth is by a multitude of small 
acts and silent influences, and these, like the vast number 
of roots that support the palm-tree, should be so multiplied 
as to lay every influence we can command under contribu- 
tion to the glor}^ of God. 

The country is very heavilj^ timbered, and the trees are 
generally large and \q.\j tall. Mahogany, logwood, rose- 
wood and cedar, of the best quality, are found in great abun- 
dance. Long ranges of mountams appear, some of them 
of great height, and from these come rolling down into the 
plains beneath some of the most beautiful streams of water 
that ever cheered a weary traveller. The water is pure and 
clear, and in manj^^ instances the streams are strong enough 
to furnish propelling power for machinery, either to grind 
food or cut the timber that abounds on every hand. Fishes 
of the best qualit}'- abound in all these streams. 

With all these advantages, many a 3^outhwho reads these 
lines will feel that it is a better land than Texas. In many 
respects, it is, and yet the disadvantages are not a few. Cut 
off at present by the mighty deep from England and North 
America, many j^ears must pass ere the countr}^ can be set- 
tled by a sufficient number of our people to make a home 
in that land desirable. As the order of the day is to belt 
continents and islands with parallel iron tracks, thus send- 
ing travellers by steam on rapid wheels, the time may come 
when a sufficient number of Americans can enter Honduras 
to make societ}^, in point of churches, schools and agricul- 
tural appliances, what it is not yet, and what it is not likely 
to be, so long as families must cross the sea to reach it. 

Although the people are generally healthy, yet there are 
diseases peculiar to that climate and localit}^ of a fearful 
character. The greatest care must be exercised by new 



380 FLOWETIS AND FRUITS. 

comers to avoid them. As in all southern countries, fevers 
of a malignant type, and severe disorders of the liver, m?iy 
be expected, in case of exposure. However, in the city of 
Belize the yellow fever has never prevailed as an epidemic, 
although carried there on different occasions. The diseases 
to be dreaded are dropsy and rheumatism. Among the 
laboring classes these diseases prevail to a considerable ex- 
tent. Exposure in the rainy season induces these troubles, 
and patients frequently linger for years, amid great suffer- 
ing, and finally die. The mildness of the temperature and 
the fresh sea breeze greatly strengthened and improved my 
feeble lungs, but dropsy seized upon me in a severe form, 
and, had I remained, would long before this have terminated 
my life. With all this, a vigorous constitution, with pru- 
dence, in my judgment, has a better prospect for long life 
in Honduras than any part of the world I ever visited. 
The temptation to exposure is very great, as it is never dis- 
agreeable to wade in the water, or expose the person to the 
falling rain. 

Two crops of grain and many other -things may be raised 
every year ; but the great abundance of rain that floods the 
earth during the long rainy season will, in my opinion, 
always prevent that thorough cultivation of the soil that is 
necessary, in order to keep a farm in proper condition for a 
succession of years. With the present system of cultiva- 
tion, grass and weeds, in the absence of frost, soon take pos- 
session of the ground to such an extent that the field is 
given up and another one cleared. 

Most persons would suppose that such a country would 
be infested with snakes of the most poisonous character ; 
but in that land they are very scarce. Insects of the most 
troublesome kind annoy the American greatly, while he eats 



THE LAST TRTP OF A PIONEER, 381 

the custard apple and other delicious fruits, and refreshes 
himself in the soft, balmy atmosphere. Prominent among 
these is the sand-fly, with which the people of our coast 
country are well acquainted ; but my experience is that 
these flies are at times more numerous in Honduras, and 
better biters^ by far, than any I ever met elsewhere. 

Next to these is the chegre, a malicious insect, a little 
larger than the red bugs that used to annoy me greatly 
when a boy, after playing over mossy logs. This insect 
does not operate alone, but, in some way I cannot explain, 
possesses the power of multiplying into a large number. A 
company of these made, on one occasion, quite a fierce at- 
tack on my left heel, and before they were removed made a 
round hole in the flesh large enough to receive a pea. An 
application of turpentine soon relieved me. 

A fly, with a short bod}^ and large wings, about double 
the size of a house-fly, infests certain localities among the 
brush, and deposits a worm on the human flesh every op- 
portunity ; that is known as the '* beef worm," and it im- 
mediately bores into the flesh. It gives no pain while 
entering, and. is usually discovered by the appearance of 
bloody water oozing out where it entered. A Texan at 
once thinks, from this description, of a " screw worm," 
but it rather resembles in its operations the wolf in a cow. 
As it increases in size, the most uneasy and unpleasant sen- 
sations are experienced. An application of tobacco will 
usually drive them to the surface, and instead of leaving 
the part inflamed, as would be expected, it heals immedi- 
ately. Great diflSculty is sometimes experienced in getting 
them out, and in some instances the knife must be resorted 
to. One of my little grandsons brought some of them in 



382 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

his feet to Texas. No danger whatever, that I know of, 
attends this insect, as it seems entirely free from poison. 

The bottle fly very much resembles the buffalo gnat of 
Texas and other southern States, and during one month in 
the year is very numerous and troublesome. 

Among other pests is the vampire bat, that very much 
resembles in appearance the common leather-winged bat of 
North America, and is about one-third larger. This bat 
possesses a bill of such a delicate character, and is so skil- 
ful in the art of surgery, that it can pierce a vein in tl:e 
human system and perfectly satisfy its appetite with human 
blood without waking the patient. While doing this, it 
gently fans the sleeper with its broad wings, and induces, 
by the pleasant operation, if possible, a sounder sleep. No 
harm is done except the loss of blood. I was bled, on one 
occasion, very freely. This can easily be avoided by using 
a common mosquito bar. They are a great pest among 
fowls, and frequently bleed them almost to death. 

Although the country has been settled along the coast for 
a hundred years by citizens under the British flag, no one 
of them, so far as I could find, could give satisfactory infor- 
mation relative to the mountains and jungles far back in 
the interior of the territory, that only covers an area of 
about two hundred by forty miles. There are but few 
horses there, and on these it is impossible to ascend the 
steep mountains and penetrate ^the dense thickets in the 
valleys between. Most of the wild beasts that live in trop- 
ical regions are found in Honduras, and birds and fowls of 
beauty and interest arrest the attention of the stranger. It 
is the land of the monkey and parrot. Large bodies of 
monkeys live in the tall, dense forests, and, by their appear- 
ance and action, remind us of humanity on a small scale. 



THE LAST TRIP OF A PIONEER, 383 

Hoping that this brief outline of what I saw and heard 
of the character of the people, the climate, soil and produc- 
tions of Honduras, may be of some interest to the inquiring 
mind, I close this chapter by giving a brief statement of 
facts relative to Baptists in this country. 

Brother Henderson, it will be remembered, had been there 
thirty-five years, and during this time had baptized quite a 
number of the people. In 1868 the Baptists numbered 
about three hundred, and, with the exception of a small 
party, were well organized and active in the prosecution of 
their work. Four native preachers shared in the labors of 
the old pastor, and were rendering valuable service. Dur- 
ing my stay among them I preached as much as my infirm- 
ities would allow, and aided in the organization of one 
church with about twenty members, and assisted in ordain- 
ing one native preacher. 



CHAPTER XXXII 



THE CONCLUSION. 



A contrast. — Texas as it was in 1835, and Texas as it is 
in 1872. 

JN March, 1869, after spendiDg more than a year in 
a foreign land, my feet again pressed the soil of 
Texas. Severe bodily afflictions have been my lot 
since. During most of this time I have been con- 
fined to mj room, and yet my mind has been active review- 
ing the past. 

Young men look toward the future, and anticipate grand 
achievements of an earthly character. Old men, conscious 
that the sun of life is setting, love to review the past. Fol- 
lowing a natural impulse on my part, and with a view of 
imparting information, the following facts in a condensed 
form are given : — 

Texas has an area about twice as large as Great Britain 
and Ireland, and is as large as New York, Pennsylvania, 
and all the New England States. 

In 1835 no census had been taken ; but from the best in- 
formation at my command, having travelled over the entire 
territory inhabited by our people, during that and the fol- 
lowing year, my conviction was, and still is, that there were 
about fifteen thousand English-speaking people in the 
country. Fifteen year3 later, in 1850, the population was 
384 



THE CONCLUSION. 385 

212,599. In 1860 it was 604,215. In 1870 it was 818,- 
579. Now, in 1872, it is largely over 1,000,000. 

Long droughts in early days greatly afflicted us. Now, 
it rains more in one year than it did then in three. Many 
have speculated about this ; but I account for it strictly 
upon the principles of providence. The prophet Amos 
reveals the mystery. Speaking of God, he says, " He 
calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out on 
the face of the earth." 

In 1835, there was only one newspaper in Texas, the 
" Texas Telegraph." In 1872, there are one hundred and 
nine. 

Then, there were very few post-offices. Now, there are 
five hundred and thirty-six, and telegraph wires bind nearly 
all the important towns together. 

Then, there were but few plain wagon-roads. Now, 
there are nearly a thousand miles of railway in running 
order, and the work goes rapidly forward. 

We then had no facilities for the education of our chil- 
dren. Now, there are as many children in school, in pro- 
portion to our population, as in any other State in the 
Union. Nearly all the various religious denominations of 
professed Christians, in the State, have their schools for the 
education of the rising generation. 

In 1835, there was one Baptist church in Texas, and less 
than fifty Baptists. Now, there are nearly a thousand 
churches, and fifty thousand Baptists. Previous to 1865, 
the white and colored Baptists worshipped as members of 
the same organizations, and were happy in their church 
relations. Now, the organizations are separate, and the 
above estimate includes all. 

In 1835, there was one missionary Baptist preacher. 



386 FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 

Now, there are four hundred and fifty white, and over a 
hundred colored preachers. 

Then, there was no association. Now, there are thirty- 
five, and two general organizations. 

Fifty years ago to-day, the joys of faith in Christ were, 
for the first time, revealed to me. I lay down my pen with 
a heart full of gratitude, not only because " our salvation 
is nearer than when we believed," but because of the display 
of God's mercy and truth in this great State, feeling confident 
that Texas and the cause I love so much will have a bright 
future. 



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THE MEMORIAL y^JLllE. Eeply to BiSHOP CoLENSO. By Alexander 
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1» 



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^AltMIS'S SEBMONS, CSABGES, ADDBESSES, etc.. delivered b> 
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14 



<S0:ttte aaiir "gmtQhxB "^nhlkviimnB. 



C^UVE:S'S CONDENSJi'l} COKCOMDANCE. A Complete Concordancd 
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The condensation of the quotations uf Scripture, arranged under the most obvious heads, "wkila 
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EADIE'S AJVALYTICAZ, CONCORDANCE OF TILE SOILT 

SCBIPTUIiES ; or, the Bible presented under Distinct and " Classified 
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Theobjeetof this Cor.cordance is to present the Scriptdees entire, under certain classified 

and exhaustive heads. It differs from an ordinary Concordance, in that its arrangement depend* 

not on WORDS, but on subjects, and tlie verses are printed in full. 

KITTO'S POPULAH CYCJLOTMDIA OF BIBLICAJD ZITERA- 
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A Dictionary of tuk Bible. Serving also as a Commentary, embodying the products of 
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KITTO' S HISTORY OF FAIESTINE, from the Patriarchal Age to the 

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Country, the Customs and Institutions of the Hebrews. By John Kitto, 

D. D. With upwards of two hundred Illustrations. 12mo, cloth, 1.75. 

tS" A work admirably adapted to the FamOy, the Sabbath School, and the week-day School Li' 

biary 

WESTCOTT'S INTMODXrCTION TO THE STUDY OF THE GOS- 
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IS©" a masterly work by a master mind. 

ELIICOTT'S LIFE OF CHRIST HISTORICAIIY CONSID- 
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UAWIINSON'S HISTORICAI EVIDENCES OF THE TRUTH 
OF THE SCRIPTURE RECORDS, STATED ANEW, with Special 
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delivered in the Oxford University pulpit, at the Bampton Lecture for 1859. By 
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pious Notes translated for the American edition by an accomplished scholai-. 
12mo, cloth, 1.75. 
"The consummate learning, judgment, and general ability, displayed by Mr. RawUnson in bis 

dition of Herodotus, are exhibited in this work also." — North-Americcm, 

18 



@xixtlir miir "^xmoln^ "^nhlxmtxom. 



BJLCTLEIT'S C03I3IENTAIiY ON THE OMIGINAIj TEXT OV 

TBE A.CTS OF THE APOSTLES. By Horatio B- Hackett, D. D., 
Prof, of Biblical literature and Interpretation in the Newton Tlicol. Institute, 
5)5=- A new, revised, and enlarged edition. Hoyal octavo, cloth, 3.00. 

fSW This most important and very popular work has been thoroughly revised ; large portionf 
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SACKETT'S ILETTSTBATIOWS OF SCJtlFTURE. Suggested by a 
Tour through the Holy Land. With numerous Illustrations. A new, Improved, 
and Enlarged edition. By H. B. Hacicett, D. D., Prof of Biblical Literature 
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Fine Edition, Tinted Paper. Square 8vo, cloth, red edges, 2.50; cloth, gilt, 
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Prof. Hackett's accuracy is proverbial. We can rely on his statements with confidence, which ii 

\n itself a pleasure. He knows and appreciates the wants of readers; explains the texts which need 

explanation; gives life-like pictures, and charms while he instructs. —iV. T. Observer. 

MVSIC OF THE BIBLE ; or, Explanatory Notes upon all the passages of 
the Sacred Scriptures relating to Music. With a brief Essay on Hebrew Poetry. 
By Enoch Hutchinson. With numerous Illustrationso Koyal octavo, 3.25. 

This book is altogether a unique production, and will be found of interest not only to Biblical 
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MALC03rS NEW BIBLE BLCTIONAItT of the most important Names, 

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Sabbath-School Teachers and Bible Classes. By Howard Malcom, D. D., late 

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1^- The former Dictionary, of which more than one hundred thousand cojJies were sold, is made 

the basis of the present work. 

FATTISON'S COMMENTABT ON THE EPISTLE TO THE 
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College. 12mo, cloth, 1.25. 

JtlPLET'S NOTES ON THE GOSPELS. Designed for Teachers in 
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RIPLEY'S NOTES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. With 
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cloth, embossed, 1.25 

PIPLET^S NOTES ON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE 

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The above works by Prof. Ripley should be in the hands of every student of the Bible, especially 
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19 



^0iilir aiitr %xntahx^ publications. 



niLJLEIt'S CRUISE OF TSE BETSEY; or, a Summer Ramble among 
the Fossiliferous Deposits of the Hebrides. With Eambles of a Geologist; 
or, Ten Thousand Miles over the Fossiliferous Deposits of Scotland. 12mo, 
pp. 524, cloth, 1.75, 

UILIEH'S ESSAYS, Historical and Biographical, Political and Social, Li^ 
erary and Scientific. By Hugh Miller. With Preface by Peter Bayne. 
i2mo, cloth, 1.75. 

MIILLEM'S FOOT-JPMINTS OF TME CMEATOTt; or, the Asterolepis 
of Stromness, with numerous Illustrations. With a Memoir of the Author, by 
Louis Agassiz. l2mo, cloth, 1.75. 

MUEEM'S FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF ENGIAlSfD AND ITS 
FEOFLE. With a fine Engraving of the Aut^Jior. ]2mo, cloth, 1.50. 

MAULER'S MEADSSIP OF CHRIST, and the Eights of the Christian 
People, a Collection of Personal Portraitures, Historical and Descriptive 
Sketches and Essays, with the Author's celebrated Letter to Lord Brougham. 
By Hugh Miller. Edited, Avith a Preface, by Peter Baynk, A. M. 12mo, 
cloth, 1.75. 

millER'S OID RED SANDSTONE ; or, New Walks in an Old Field. 
Illustrated with Plates and Geological Sections. New Edition, Kevised 
AND MUCH Enlarged, by the addition of new matter a^jd new Illustrations. 
&c. 12mo, cloth, 1.75. 

MIIIER'S FOFITLAR GEOLOGY ; With Descriptive Sketches from & 
Geologist's Portfolio. By Hugh Miller. With a Resume of the Progress 
of Geological Science during the last two years. By Mrs. Miller. 12mo, 
cloth, 1.75. 

MIJjIER'S SCHOOIS and SCMOOIMASTERS ; or, the story of my 
Education. An Autobiography. With a full-length Portrait of the Author. 
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MILLER'S TALES AND SKETCHES. Edited, with n Preface, &c., by 

\^ Mrs. Miller. 12mo, 1.50. 

Among the subjects are: Recollections of Ferguson — Burns — The Salmon 
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§IILLER>S TESTI3IONY OF THE ROCKS; or, Geology in its Bear- 
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with the stones of the field."— Job. With numerous elegant Illustrations. 
One volume, royal 12mo, cloth, 1.75. 

HUGH MILLER'S WORKS. Ten volumes, uniform style, in an elegaiy' 
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WACAULAY ON SCOTLAND. A Critique from HUGH ^Iillf-i*'* '- Wif 
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4 



^0tilir. Htttr ^xmalnn "^xxhlxtvdmuB. 



VMAMBBItS' CYCl^OPMniA OF EKGLISS JLITJEMATTTME. A 

Selection of the choicest productions of English Authors, from the earliest to 
the present time. Connected by a Critical and Biographical History. Forming 
two large imperial octavo volumes of 700 pages each, double-column letter 
press ; with upwards of three hundred elegant Illustrations. Edited by Robert 
Chaimbers. Embossed cl^th, 6.50; sheep, 7.50; cloth, full gilt, 9.00; half calf,' 
12.00; full calf, 16.00. 

This work embraces about one thousand Authors, chronologically arranged, and classed ai 
poets, historians, dramatists, philosophers, metaphysicians, divines, &c., with choicb selections from 
their writings, connected by a Biographical, Historical, and Critical Narrative; thus presenting a 
complete view of English Literature from the earliest to the present time. Let the reader open 
where he will, he cannot fail to find matter for profit and delight. The selections are gems — 
infinite riches in a little room; in the language of another, " A ivhole English Libeary fused 
bowif INTO ONE Cheap Book." 

i^~ The American edition of this valuable work is enriched by the addition of fine steel and 
mezzotint engravings of the heads of Shakspearb, Addison, Byron; a full-length portrait of 
Dr. Johnson; and a beautifiul scenic representation of Oliver Goldsmith and Dr. Johnson. 
These important and elegant additions, together with superior paper and binding, and other im- 
provements, render the American far superior to the English edition. 

CSJLMBEBS' MOMJE BOOK; or. Pocket Miscellany, containing a Choice 
Selection of Interesting and Instructive Reading, for the Old and Young. Six 
volumes. 16mo, cloth, 6.00; library sheep, 7.00. 

ABVINE'S CTCILOP^DIA OF ANECBOTFS OF LITEBATVBF 
AND TME FINE ABTS. Containing a copious and choice Selection of 
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Engravings, Music, Poetry, Painting, and Sculpture, and of the most celebrated 
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5.00 ; cloth, gilt, 6.00; half calf, 7.00. 

This is unquestionably the choicest collection of Anecdotes ever published. It contains three 
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to artists, mechajiic.i, and others, as a Dictionary /or reference, in relation to facts on the num- 
berless subjects and characters introduced. There are also more than ojie hundred and fifty Jina 
JHustrations. 

BATNE'S ESSAYS IN BIOGBAFMY ANB CBITICISM, By 

Peter Bayne, M. A., author of *' The Christian Life, Social and Individual." 
Arranged in two Series, or Parts. 12mo, cloth, each, 1.75. 

These volumes have been prepared and a number of the Essays written by the author expressly 
for his American publishers. 

THE BANDING AT^ CAPE ANNE ; • or, The Charter of the First 
Permanent Colony on the Territory of the JMassachusetts Com- 
pany. Now discovered, and first published from the original manuscript, 
with an inquiry into its authority, and a History of the Colony, 1624-163^ 
Roger Conant, Governor. By J. Win gate Thornton. 8vo, cloth .2.50. 
tS3f "A rare contribution to the early history of New England."— Jomj-tjciJ. 

& 



J^=Tlie Pastor is often asked by his Sabbath School Teachers, " JFJiat is the 
best Commentary on the whole Bible 7 " You have here the answer. 

TITE PORTABLE COSmSNTARY: a Commentary, Critical and Ex- 
planatory, on the Old and New Testaments, By Rev. Robert Jamieson, D.D., 
Rev. a. R. Fausset, and Rev. David Brown, D.D. In two vols. 12mo, 
cloth. §6.00. 

Also, the same with the Comjientary on one page and the Text on- the page 
opposite. In four vols. 16mo, cloth. $6.50. 

This work will be found the most compact, as well as reliable. Commentary 
published, and is admirably adapted to the Family, Sabbath School Teacher, 
and all students of the Bible. Its theological opinions are Scriptural, its geo- 
graphical researches are brought down to the latest periods, its explanations of 
Grod's "Word are sensible and clear, and the whole forms one of the most con- 
venient, useful, and really valuable Commentaries extant. 

The work is in twoforvis -. the Portable, in tivo volumes, containing only the 
Commentary ; the other, in four volumes, containing both the Text and the Com- 
mentary. The type is small, yet clear and distinct, and is furnished at a price 
so low as to place it within the means of all classes. 

The work is commanding the general attention of Clergymen, Sabbath School 
Teachers, and all Bible students. 

THE BRE3IEN LECTURES. On Fundamental Living Religious Ques- 
tions. By a number of the ablest scholars of the day. Translated from the 
German by Rev. D. Heagle. 12mo, cloth. $1.75. 

Dr. Hovey, President of the Newton Theological Institution, in a prefatory 
note says : " I have given the Lectures a careful perusal ; I am not surprised to 
find them rich in thought and admirable in style; indeed, singularly worthy of 
being put into the English language for the benefit of American readers ; for they 
are noble defences of the Christian rehgion against fierce attacks from living 
adversaries; and, like all good defences of the faith once delivered to the saints,' 
they deal with central facts and principles, and possess a value quite indepen- 
dent of controversy." 

contents of the work. 

1. — The Biblical Account of Creation and Natural Science. By Otto 
Zockler, D.D., Prof, at Greifswald. 2.— Reason, Conscience, and Revelation. 
By Rev. Hermann Cremer, Pastor at Ostonnen, near Soest. 3. — Miracles. By 
Rev. M. Fuchs, Pastor at Oppin, near Halle. 4.— The Person of Jesus Christ. 
By Chr. E. Luthardt, D.D., Prof, of Theology at Leipsic. b.— The Resurrection 
of Christ as a Soteriologico-Historical Fact. By Gerhard LTilhorn, D.D.. First 
Preacher to the (late) Court of Hanover. 6.— The Scriptural Doctrine of 
Atonement. ByW. F. Gess, D.D., Prof, at Gottingen. I.—The Authenticity 
of our Gospels. By Constantino Tischendorf, D.D., Prof, of Theology at 
Leipsic. 8.— The Idea of the kingdom of God as Perfected, and Its Significancy 
for Historical Christianity. By J. P. Lange, D.D., Prof, at Bonn. 9.— 
Christianity and Culture, By Rev. Julius Disselhof, Pastor and Inspector in 
Kaiser werth. 

LIFE AND LETTERS OF HUGH MILLER. By Peter Bayne, 

Author of " The Christian Life." TV'ith a Likeness, a Bust, and Pictures of the 
Birthplace and the last Residence of Mr. Miller. 2 vols. 12mo, cloth. §4.00. 

That Hugh Miller was, intellectually, one of the greatest men of his time, is a 
statement which no candid reader of these two volumes will question. Deemed 
a dunce by the schoolmasters of his boyhood, he rose from the humblest begin- 
ning to the highest position among the magnates of literature and science. The 
man or woman who begins this work will find themselves too deeply interested 
to stop until the end is reached. It is not only a deeply interesting, but a most 
instructive work, and should be read by everybody, old and young. 



GOD WITH US; or, the Person and Work of Christ. With an Examination 
of " The Vicarious Sacrifice" of Dr. Bushnell. By Ai-vah Hovey, D.D., 

President of JSTewton Theological Institution. 12mo, cloth. $1.75. 
This is a most able, thorough, instructive, and very timely work. 

PROPHECY A PREPARATION FOR CHRIST. Bampton Lec- 
tures. By R. Payne Smith, D.D., Regius Professor of Divinity, and Canon 
of Christ Church, Oxford. 12mo, cloth. $1.75. 

J8®=- A work of marked ability and of great interest. 

D0G3IATIC FAITH. An inquiry into the relation subsisting between Reve- 
lation and Dogma. Bampton Lectures. By Edward GtArbett, M.A. 
12mo, cloth. $2.25. 

PROGRESS OF DOCTRINE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT; 
Bampton Lectures. By T. D. Bernard, Exeter College, 12mo, cloth. $1.50. 

Jg@=-A masterly production, and^ as one distinguished Clergyman said of it, 
" It is worth its weight in gold." 

THE JEWISH TEMPLE AND THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 
By R. W. Dale, M.A. On fine tinted paper. 12mo, cloth. $2,00. 

" His work," says the London Lit. World, " is thoroughly able, and he proves 
himself to have complete mastery of the scholarship requisite for his purpose. He 
is eminently practical, but a vein of strong reasoning runs through the whole, 
and we feel that we are in converse with a masculine and sagacious intellect." 

LECTURES ON SATAN. By Thaddeus McRae, Pastor of Presbyterian 
Church, McVeytown, Pa. 16mo, cloth. 90 cents. 

The object of this work is to show the origin, character, and power of Satan; 
that he is not a myth as some are bold to assert, but a real character, as described 
in the Scriptures, The work is written in an interesting, vigorous style, present- 
ing facts and arguments that must be convincing to every candid reader. 

NOTES ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. 

Critical and Explanatory. Intended for Sabbath School Teachers, an Aid to 
Family Instruction, etc. By N. Marshman Williams, D.D. With numerous 
illustrations. 12mo, cloth, $1.75. 

The Notes by Dr, Williams have been approved, and highly commended by 
some of the ablest Ministers and Scholars of the denomination, and also b^ the 
press generally. 

SEEDS AND SHEA VES ; or, Words of Scripture, their History, and 
Fniits. By Rev. A. C. Thompson, D.D., author of " The Better Land," " The 
Mercy Seat," " Lyra Ccelestis," etc. 12mo, cloth. $1.75. 

A work unique, interesting, and instructive, giving illustrations of the use 
which Grod has made of particular passages of his Word. The biography of cer- 
tain texts is more wonderful and more valuable than the biography of a hero. 

PASTOR AND PREACHER ; a Memorial of the late Rev, Baron Stow, 
D,D. By ROLMN H. Neaee, D.D., with an Appendix, containing extracts from 
a Memorial Discourse, by D, C. Eddy, D,D,, and a Memorial Discourse by A. J. 
GrORDON. Square 16mo, tinted paper, bevel boards, full gilt, $1.00. 

A beautiful tribute to the memory of a good man; published in beautiful style. 
S8 



